


Hazards

by withered



Category: Bleach
Genre: College, Complete, Couch conversations, F/M, Ichiruki, Living Together, Realizations, Romance, Roommates, Rukia's trying to kill him, after canon, anti-Orihime Inoue, anti-ichihime, repost from ffn, she's marking her territory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-01-27 13:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 30,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12582480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withered/pseuds/withered
Summary: Ichigo and Rukia; best friends, roommates, college students. Life gets easier after saving the world a few times, but it also gets harder. There were hazards to having your whole world altered by the presence of a single person, falling in love with them is pretty high on the list.[Inspired by Telephone by KurosakiLove]





	1. Chapter 1

"You're cheating on me, is that it?"

There were hazards to being best friends with a girl, and even more when it came to living with one.

Telling people they were just roommates didn't exactly pass muster when two minutes into their shared apartment, decorated seamlessly to incorporate both their styles with pictures that could be misconstrued as "couple-like" scattered around, Rukia would walk out of their room wearing his clothes.

Ichigo really had tried to convince people that they were just roommates and had been since he was fifteen. But he just got condescending nods, and eventually, he learned to pretend that the fact that people thought they were dating (or at the very least, screwing) didn't bother him.

It certainly didn't bother the girls that still came up to ask him out, much to Rukia's amusement.

He grumbled, "You're such a bitch."

"Your creativity is lacking in the insult department, Strawberry-chan."

"The least you can do is be sympathetic," he sulked.

"Oh, woe is you, the tragic Kurosaki Ichigo being constantly approached by beautiful women! Where's the sad violin music that is the soundtrack to your life?"

Girls like Kuchiki Rukia had hazard signs all over them: Danger! Don't underestimate! Danger! Don't be deceived! Danger! Danger!

"Your acting's gotten worse, is that possible?"

"It depends," Rukia mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "did you really use me as an excuse to not go out with Inoue _again_? You do know she knows we aren't a thing, right?"

Ichigo grumbled at the very reminder of her.

He still couldn't believe she had followed him to study in the city. Though he knew he probably should have just told her straight out he wasn't interested in her romantically, he also still harboured the hope that the buxom girl really  _did_  always dream of studying in Tokyo.

"I'm going to keep using it if it's all the same to you," he retorted.

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you finally find a girl you're interested in, and she thinks we're a thing," she said, already smug despite the sheer impossibility of the notion. That she didn't bait the issue anyway was something he was only marginally surprised by.

The Kuchiki princess' near-permanent move to the World of the Living resulted in her needing to dedicate time to doing actual living human things which considering the age she was playing at, required her to get into university, and at her own admission in wanting to have an immersive 'young adult experience' get a part time job to tide her over. She had the time for it, after all.

Hollows weren't very bright but going into the territory of the saviour of the world (twice!) just wasn't something they were doing.

Ichigo, for his part, couldn't complain what with his medical degree well under way, and though Rukia had never had an inch of bloodlust in her, she grew bored of feigning interest in class.

It was her own fault really, why she chose to major in historical studies was beyond him, and a job at the local coffee shop? What kind of act was she going for?

Even if the work was easy for her on both fronts, the load couldn't be ignored.

Just that morning she had accidently woken him up as she was getting up to leave – gracelessly climbing over his prone form to get out of bed.

He had scowled at her, resisting the urge to pull her back beside him as she muttered, "My paper's due for ten." He had watched her, blurry eyed as she clumsily put on his discarded sweater from yesterday and grumbled, "It can't wait ‘til after ass o’clock?"

She had yawned adorably wide, running her hand haphazardly through her tangled bed head and replying, "Six o'clock shift at work."

In the bluish light from the television, he could make out the slightly darkened smudges beneath her eyes.

"You're staring."

He covered his embarrassment with a snort. "You're wearing my shirt again."

"It's comfortable," she informed, tugging at the hem in demonstration, showing off the skin of her chest as the shirt hung off one shoulder to expose her collarbone. His eyes flickered at the sight, though valiantly, not long enough for her to notice, as she added, "Besides, it's the least we can do if you're going to keep pretending we're dating."

"It's easier," he insisted, "plus, no one believes us being just friends anyway. We sleep in the same bed!"

"Only because you wouldn't let me sleep in the closet," she reminded, still displeased at being evicted. "It's bigger than the one at home!"

"You're not sleeping in the closet, I already told you. When school lightens up a bit, I'll get on to getting that other bed for you, okay?" Rukia rolled her eyes. He'd been promising that since they started university, and he knew it.

There was a certain intimacy he had become accustomed to since Rukia had come barrelling into his life.

Random attacks in the morning or after school, his dad had him covered. But there was no preparing for the short shit shinigami that would change everything.

She used kido, for god's sake, and he was still shit at it.

And when it came to the odd Hollow attack, she'd face plant him with that trusty glove of hers as she sat on his chest or set Chappy on him; and Ichigo still couldn't decide which was worse (it would probably be Chappy if Rukia hadn't taken such a liking to summer dresses).

Not that he would ever admit it aloud to her, but ever since his powers were taken away from him, he realized how he actually hated to be alone.

After his powers came back (along with her) he was more relieved than anything when she turned down the bed in Yuzu and Karin's room. The sneaking around, he could deal with, and if he offered his closet every time they got back from Hollow hunts despite them not having dinner with the family yet, neither remarked on it.

The arrangement couldn't continue when they moved to Tokyo.

If Byakuya found out she was still living in his closet, Ichigo knew he'd be fearing cherry blossoms for the rest of his life, though he might still have to look at them with suspicion if their current arrangement continued.

Shifting her legs across his lap, he caught sight of the boxers she was wearing. "Are those mine?"

"Probably," she replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

He sighed.

Whether she was hanging out in his clothes, stealing food off his plate, stretching out across his lap, messing his hair as she walked passed him while he studied, hip checking him as they washed dishes or brushed their teeth; Rukia gave zero shits about personal space and boundaries.

At one point, he had sarcastically offered his toothbrush to her on the first night in Tokyo, and she just looked at him like he had cooties.

It figured that the only thing she  _wasn't willing to do_ was swap spit.

He inwardly scoffed at the thought.

Even he had to admit it was kind of gross to share a toothbrush, but it was a mindboggling normal thing compared to the lines they had crossed with one another.

After all, the first time they met, she did put a sword through him.

"You're never going to let that go," she declared, rolling her eyes, all too used to his thoughts occasionally being verbalized when he was thinking too hard.

"Our swords are extensions of our souls; mine could've seriously fucked yours up."

Rukia raised a brow at him, giving him a 'you can't seriously be this dumb' look that he's both infatuated and infuriated by as the hazard signs flashed in his mind's eye: Danger! Feelings ahead! Danger! Danger! She's going to say words that are going to make you feel dumb!

"You offered yourself to a Hollow to protect your sisters, you idiot. Delinquent or not, you have a good heart, a good soul, and that's all that matters; even if you are as dumb as a pile of rocks."

He rolled his eyes.

"And for a prude," she added a second later, "you're taking the fact that our souls basically had sex quite well." He choked, and almost sagely, she remarked, " _Oh_ , I spoke too soon."

"The hell is wrong with you?" he spluttered.

"What?" she asked innocently. "My soul technically did penetrate yours, you know. Or didn't you get this talk? What are you – twenty, or twelve? Come on Mr. Med Student, cat got your tongue?"

"You're insane."

"By some definitions," she allowed with a smirk. "What's brought  _this_  up again?"

"What? The whole sword through the chest thing?"

"Un,  _that_. Reminiscing?"

Shrugging, he stretched his arm across the back of the couch, and vaguely recalled, "Just thinking about your total disregard of normal human boundaries."

On cue, she kicked him in the rib. "How dare you? A Kuchiki always respects boundaries."

"Then please explain, with citation, on what planet your brother would be okay with you wearing my clothes and sleeping in my bed?"

Rukia scowled. "Get in line, I have enough papers due."

"Face it, you have no defense," he pointed out with a snicker.

"Of course, I do. Don't be stupid, you think I'm this relaxed with everyone I meet?" He'd actually hate himself if the answer was yes and the thought of her this comfortable with literally  _anyone else_  made him momentarily forget the blinking hazard signs. She rolled her eyes at his silence; rewarding his lack of response with a lack of her own.

He hated it when she did that. "You aren't comfortable around many people."

"Hence why it's a luxury, idiot."

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Fine. Citation?"

She made a sound of annoyance at the back of her throat before she vaulted up so fast Ichigo almost fucking  _squeaked_  when she was suddenly nose to nose with him; her thighs bracketing his as she straddled his lap. "Citation? You really want to go there?"

Danger! Danger! This is not the friendzone!

Even he could feel the bounce in his Adam's apple as he swallowed. "What do you mean?"

Huffing, she muttered under her breath, "You're so fucking dense."

There were hazards to having your whole world altered by the presence of a single person, falling in love with them is pretty high on the list.


	2. Chapter 2

Intuition was information received and processed too fast for the conscious mind to understand. Some people would argue it was simply perception and deduction, but Rukia liked to think it was a talent on its own that had to be mastered.

Not everything that could be felt or seen could be explained or trusted. But Rukia used her intuition so often it was becoming like reading hazard signs: Don't go in there! Don't trust them! Don't do that thing! Danger!

Now, the danger that presented itself came in the form of an unlikely (or not) visitor she found standing outside the apartment door, hand paused over the wood in a knock – but not there yet. No, just waiting, just biding time; hesitating, hoping –

Danger.

Her keys jingled as she opened the door, and Inoue held her breath.

Rukia could tell.

There were hazards to noticing things, little things – big things. Even intuition had its downsides. Ignorance is bliss for a reason.

For a fraction of a second, Ichigo gave Inoue his full attention as he nodded in greeting, before adding, "Inoue, you're here too?"

And there it was – that bright beautiful smile that burst forth with the breath she had been holding, it reached her eyes, and Rukia could practically feel the sudden spike of her reitsu rise in her chest like butterflies trying to escape. There was no way Inoue had let her infatuation of Ichigo go, no matter what she insisted to her and Tatsuki between graduation and packing up and moving to Tokyo.

In fact, the reminder of all those conversations made her rub her temples when she realized just how counterintuitive her attempt to dissuade the buxom orange haired girl was in hindsight.

Tatsuki had probably known, but she had given up that fight long ago.

Inoue was nothing if not determined, and while she bravely put herself in Ichigo's path – even going so far as to ask him out outright – Ichigo, the big idiot, still couldn't get it into his thick skull that she meant the invitation romantically.

More than once did Rukia end up accidently crashing their "date" because, "Of course you're coming with, Midget, do you want food or not?"

Eventually, he got the gist of what Inoue was trying to do, but he still stubbornly refused to acknowledge it for what it was. He was taking the approach like an ostrich: sticking his head in the sand and hoping it went away on its own.

Case in point: Inoue hinging her happiness on how much undivided attention Ichigo gave her.

In Rukia and Ichigo's shared apartment, of all places, Inoue still looked at him from where she stood awkwardly in the doorway, doe-eyed and hopeful, even as he dismissed her presence just as quickly as he had noticed it.

His attention more diverted by the bag in Rukia's hand, the reason for her departure so early this morning, made him frown in irritation more than the fact that she was buying merchandise again. "I told you it could wait."

"No, it couldn't!" she insisted, "I literally had to knock a kid out to get this one!"

"You actually proud of that?"

She held up the limited edition Chappy plushie, still in mint condition in its box from the specialized shop packet it came with. "Look at it!"

Rolling his eyes, he said more to himself than to anyone, "I'll probably be looking at it the most since you'll make me sleep with it."

Hugging the box to herself, Rukia glared at him. "I will not, why would I level such torture on my beautiful Chappy?"

"Because you'll sleep with it, and in essence, I'll be sleeping with it," he reasoned.

"Still not the same," she huffed, making her way to the bedroom they shared, before remembering, almost too late, that Inoue was still standing in the doorway of the apartment. "Make yourself at home, don't mind the brute and – Ichigo, would it kill you to be a good host?"

"What do you mean?"

"Chad doesn't even have a drink, and he's been here for how long?" Rukia said, placing her new Chappy on the desk, shrugging out of her coat, slinging it on the chair, tying up her hair as she walked back out. "Are you hungry, Chad?"

"I'm fine," he answered, nodding his head. "We're only getting started now, actually."

Ruffling Ichigo's hair as she walked passed him on the couch, and peering at some of the study material spread out between him and Chad, she berated, "Slacking already, Mr. Med Student?"

"Catching up," he retorted, grabbing her hand to get her to stop, and at the same time pulling her towards him as he added, "Did you get milk?"

"I got some yesterday, it's in the cupboard," she reminded, smacking him with the hand he had grabbed. "And stop drinking it out the carton; we have glasses for a reason, you barbarian."

"Yeah, yeah."

By then Inoue had deflated from the short high she was on, her moment passed. She'd taken the few steps to get into the apartment, but she hesitated, hovering nervously between the empty seat beside Ichigo and the floor at his feet.

Chad, finally noticing her discomfort was just about to invite her to sit (which, surely, Rukia's invitation to "make yourself at home" implied, right?) when the orange haired girl brightened again.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

At the corner of her eye, Rukia saw him flinch, but he made a nod in Inoue's direction in an almost distracted fashion.

"H-how about we get coffee," she offered, eyes flickering to register Chad, before quickly adding, "for the studying? It's going to be an all-nighter, and we're going to need the energy, ne?"

"We have here," he said, smirking at Rukia. "Plus, we've got our own personal barista too."

Inoue sank into the floor.

But the two of them had already forgotten to notice.

Cell phone in hand, Rukia snorted. "Just because I don't have to study tonight does not mean I'm having any part in your exam prep."

"But you could actually learn something for once," he reasoned.

"I learn stuff."

"Yeah, I'm sure talking about the Naban Trade is just as exciting as living through it."

Rukia smacked him up the head. Ignoring his curses as she dialled the number to a takeout place a second later, Chad only made a noise of amusement, and she too had to suppress her smirk.

Honestly, how people could ever think to misread their form of affection baffled her.

She may have cornered him on the couch last night, but his reaction proved her point – he only saw her as a friend. A different friend to how he saw Inoue, but a friend nonetheless. That, or a socially awkward man with zero game, but what did Rangiku know?

Just as she ended the call for a pizza delivery, a Hollow notification popped up on her phone, the familiar chime getting her to perk up. Vaguely, she excused herself from the others and walked out the apartment without a second a look back, the door, however, didn't shut behind her.

"Hey!"

She was already in the elevator by the time she noticed Ichigo had chased after her. Slapping a hand between the doors, to keep them from closing, he half hung in the elevator and the hallway.

"You have to study," she said immediately at the sight of him.

"Rukia," he began in warning.

"Oh, shut up, I can handle a single, measly Hollow. Go study."

"Rukia, I should -"

"Study." She nodded firmly and knowing he was only insisting because he didn't want her to go alone. (Lord, what was with him and not wanting to do things on her own?) She conceded, "I'll make coffee when I get back."

"That's -"

"Perfect," she interjected, the beep from her phone telling her that the Hollow was on the move. "Aren't I the best? You don't have to say it! Put the mugs out for Chad and Inoue too!" Pushing him back out into the hallway and hitting the button to shut the doors again, Rukia added, "I'll be back in twenty." When he opened his mouth to argue with her again, she rushed, "'K thanks, love you, bye!"

Intuition was information processed too fast for the conscious mind to comprehend, and with the clear surprise in the widening of Ichigo's eyes, Rukia almost regretted the kiss she blew his way as the doors shut, separating them.

The hazard of intuition was trying to figure out what it told you, even if it might have just high jacked your mouth and told you itself.


	3. Chapter 3

His leg jigged impatiently as he tried to focus on the topic at hand. She was a real pain in the ass, Ichigo decided instead. Rukia would be the death of him.

Sure, they talked a load of crap together that  _sounded_ vaguely couple-like; possibly,  _maybe_. It was why  _pretending_ to be a couple was just easier, in his opinion. But she'd never really said –

Urgh, she was joking. Shooting the shit with him and messing with his head.  _You know her_ , he reminded himself, involuntarily glancing at the empty space beside him because – fuck it, he knew she could handle it, she had exceeded the regular Seated positions long ago, he knew she was a capable and skilled fighter, but damn it, she didn't have to go alone. It wasn't like she needed to when he was there and willing.

What if something went wrong? What if it wasn't just a Hollow, but a Menos?

She'd be able to handle it, of course, she would –

What if she made a mistake; got cocky?

Never, if anything she was too cautious, too careful – she'd never let it get away, never leave herself open to attack unless it was for a good reason; unless she had a plan; unless she needed to –

What if Soul Society calls her away, what if she doesn't come home –

The hazard that came with knowing what her absence felt like stressed him out more than the exam he had in a few days' time. Ichigo was too far gone to even deny it. Missing her wasn't even on the same spectrum, it felt like too much of a loss which was ridiculous – not even the veil of the Living and the Dead could separate them now.

There was nothing to worry about, though even if she got hit – she'd be fine, she was strong and smart, and she'd get home and Inoue would heal her – and if Soul Society called her back for whatever stupid reason they had, she'd come home eventually. If not, he'd beat the shit out of the bastard that kept her there until she could.

What were a few hours? A few days, months or years?

He'd be fine. They'd be fine.

_Love you, bye_

Fuck.

Rukia came back from the Hollow notification twenty-two minutes later, the pizza she ordered, and a pack of beer balanced in her arms as she shut the door behind her with the heel of her shoe. Any retort he had about "you said twenty minutes" died when she gave him that "I dare you" eyebrow arch. And to be honest, it was very likely because he had swallowed his tongue.

Satisfied with the lack of a verbal reply Rukia announced, "Food's here!"

When Chad opened his mouth to ask if she'd like help carrying her load, she waved him off and waddled into the kitchen, and that's when Ichigo made to stand, asking, "Pineapple or no pineapple?"

Inoue chattered, voice pitching just a bit as he moved further and further away from her, "Pineapple, please, and if you have anchovies too, and Kurosaki-kun, do you happen to have wasabi?"

Wordlessly, he glanced at Rukia who shrugged.  _She's your friend_ , read the expression in her face as she opened the top cupboard to get the plates, balancing on her toes to grab a hold of them, and then bouncing a little because she was entirely too short and –

The hem of the knitted dress she wore rose higher along the back of her thighs, and then that fucking dip where her thigh gave way to the curve of her ass peeked at him and –

Goddamn it.

Reaching passed her with a grunt of annoyance, ignoring the fact that her back was pressed against his front, he informed gruffly in her ear, "I should get you a ladder."

"But you like being useful," she mock-whispered, bouncing back on her heels to get the soles of her feet flat on the ground, bumping him firmly in the abdomen and – other places – before she slipped away from him. After making a show of checking the fridge, she added, "We don't have anchovies, sorry, Inoue."

Belatedly, he realized, upon turning to the counter to set the plates down that the other girl was staring at them – expression shocked with just a hint of hurt, but he couldn't grasp the shits required to care because Rukia was just – urgh –

With a reminder that everyone could get food from the counter when they were ready, and – "I'll make coffee in a sec, if you guys want," Rukia added as she disappeared into their room to change, probably into another pair of his boxers and his shirt and – fuck,  _brain could you not_ –

Ichigo tried to forget just about everything that had happened from the elevator to her removing her clothes to put on his, and – _stop it._

Resolutely, he returned to the task at hand, inhaling his pizza slices and downing a can of beer, before diving right back into his course material.

Chad readily followed suit, though at a leisurely pace while Inoue wordlessly wandered into the kitchen – searching futilely for the anchovies and wasabi she craved, which for some reason, she believed Rukia to be hiding from her.

Ichigo was definitely not getting into that.

By the time Rukia came back out, her hair was reset in that familiar messy bun she favoured, along with his NICE VIBES shirt and her Chappy pajama bottoms. Okay, one out of two wasn't terrible.

Walking passed Inoue, who resumed her place on the floor a few feet away from him, Rukia took up her post beside him, her legs thrown over his lap, her own reading material in hand, and that was that. If he shifted her socked feet just a bit so that they weren't poking at his – yeah – well, no one would know. Right?

Chad didn't even blink.

The rest of the night continued just like that until Ichigo reached for her book with one hand and snatched it, before depositing it onto the table.

"H-hey! What the hell, Ichigo?" she demanded, brushing off the yawn that had momentarily seized her.

Without looking at her, he returned to the report he had been studying, mumbled something about making a note of it to Chad, and then finally deigned to tell her, "Go to bed."

"You're not the boss of me."

"You woke up early for the Chappy thing, the least you can do is catch up on sleep."

"I'm not that tired," she replied petulantly.

He snorted. "Bullshit, you've had your eyes closed for at least twenty minutes now."

"What kind of studying are you doing that you still have time to stare at me, hmm?" she demanded, pushing at his face with her index finger in accusation.

"You were snoring."

She gasped. "How dare you? Kuchikis do  _not_  snore."

"You must not be a Kuchiki then," he remarked and was rewarded with a punch. Luckily he had anticipated that – God knew how cranky the damned woman got when she was tired. Grabbing her by the offending arm, standing and then swinging her around until he was practically wearing her as a scarf, he shifted her weight across his shoulders and turned for their bedroom. "Give me a second," he said over his shoulder. "Gotta put her to bed."

"How dare you? Put me down, you fool!" Absorbing her blows with a grimace and only a minimal amount of grumbling, he did as she bid and dropped her in an unceremonious heap on the bed.

Scrambling to regain her dignity, she demanded, "What the hell was that for?"

"I just saved you the trouble of having to walk to bed, you're welcome," he said with a smirk, grabbing the duvet and throwing it over her head. "I'll see you in the morning."

Already turning for the door again, he turned at her indignant, "Oi!"

Before he could ask what she wanted, she threw her Chappy pyjamas at him, and he spluttered. "Rukia, what the hell?"

Somehow, she went from looking like the disgruntled, half-awake college student she was, to the human equivalent of the cat getting the canary. Between the seconds that he had turned around to leave, she had managed to fix herself at the head of the bed; the duvet covering her from the chest down with her tongue sticking out at him in childish retaliation. Except it wasn't entirely childish per say…

"What kind of punishment," he scrambled, shaking his head and trying to disperse the redness in his cheeks, before he asked with some fear, "Are you wearing something underneath?"

It was her turn to smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

There were way too many hazards involved with dealing with her, Ichigo decided.


	4. Chapter 4

"How'd it go?"

Running his hand through his bright hair after removing his beanie, Ichigo released a frustrated sigh. "It could have been better; I completely blanked by the end of it."

"You didn't exactly sleep for the past month, it can't be helped," Rukia remarked sympathetically, wiping down the table he had chosen to sit at under the guise of doing actual work and not loitering to chat to customers. "You shouldn't be too hard on yourself."

He sighed again, sounding less annoyed. "I guess." Throwing a passing glance around the establishment, he asked, "When are you getting out of here?"

"Two more hours," she replied. With exams finishing up for every faculty it was practically empty of the student horde that made up the majority of the patrons of the local coffee shop, but the chances of her boss letting her off early were slim to none.

With a shrug, he reached for his phone, the lock screen flashing the time and an unread message notification. "I'll wait here then."

"It's two hours," she repeated, brows raised.

"Yeah, so?"

"Don't you want to finish packing? We need to be on the road in a few hours."

"It isn't a lot left," he reminded, "just the laptops, I think. And it'll be more work if I go home and come back for you and then go home again."

She rolled her eyes. "I can meet you at home; I'm perfectly capable of walking."

"It'll be four by then," he argued, and at her lips parting to retort that  _time isn't important no matter how dark it gets_ , he added, "We can fight about this all you want, but I'm not leaving without you."

Exactly two hours later, he kept to his word. With an order of a double grande white mocha with caramel and a treat of the chocolate muffin in the display, Ichigo was content to surf the internet on his phone – having time to be mean to her by distracting her a few times with adorable Chappy videos ("That's not fair, I was nice to you!").

When her shift ended, she had her coat on and Ichigo's takeaway French vanilla muffin (which she planned to steal) in hand, and listened to the bell chime as he opened and closed the door to the coffee shop behind them.

"Midget," he exhaled, his breath condensing, "it's freezing, where's your scarf?"

"Forgot," was her careless reply as she watched him rub his bare hands together in a feeble attempt to retain some of the heat from the double grande he had been cradling while he waited for her.

With a long-suffering sigh he removed his beanie again and buried her head in it, affectionately tugging the material over her ears securely and smirking at her.

Petulantly, Rukia reminded, "I would've been fine without it; we don't live that far away from here."

"You'll get sick; I'm saying that as a future doctor."

"I can take care of myself."

It was his turn to shrug. "I know, but you’ve got me too so now you won’t have to."

At that, she found herself caught between a frown and a smile. Rukia had always been independent, after all.

She learned to survive on her own before Renji and following her life of solitude after entering the Seiretei and losing him in the process, Rukia learned to like her own company out of necessity.

Being a Kuchiki had taught her a different kind of survival: Living in perfect luxury didn't mean she wasn't lonely and didn't change the fact that she was purposeless.

It certainly didn't make it easy trying to find herself in the pool of self-loathing that had started to brew in her stomach when she thought about how her life could be summed up to a burdensome ornament that couldn't earn her keep anywhere in anyway, either.

She was never comfortable; in her own skin or in the space of others, and it was a failure that always grated her, always reminded her how out of place she was.

Being a shinigami had changed that, and regardless of her nii-sama accelerating her placement into the Thirteenth Division, Rukia had finally found a way to use her existence to contribute and found a way to feel comfortable with others and herself. She held onto it like a vice.

Being a shinigami would be her purpose.

After what happened to Kaien, the grip grew white-knuckled and her resolve was solidified: there was no relying on anyone. Anyone can be lost, and anyone can walk away and forget her; there was no real comfort to be found in anyone.

Except,  _maybe-probably_ - _hopefully_ , Ichigo.

"Oi, are you almost done in there?" he asked, knocking twice on the bathroom door almost an hour later as she wrung out her hair. It was getting long, she thought absently, feeling a slick strand still lingering on her back before she huffed and made a towel turban to dry it.

"Almost," she replied, "just need to brush my – hey! Idiot, I said I was still in here!"

Carelessly apologetic for smacking her with the door, he gripped her forearm momentarily to soothe it purely through contact before slinging his own towel on the rack. When she shot him an unimpressed look, he grabbed his toothbrush out of the cup by the sink and defended, "You're decent."

"What if I wasn't?" she challenged with a scowl, elbowing him to grab her own toothbrush.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," was his neutral reply, though it didn't stop her from giving a scandalized gasp and declaring, "You pervert!"

Talking around the minty foam already gathered in his mouth, Ichigo retorted, "We're going to be late."

"You're going to be late," she corrected, "they're your family."

"They're your family too," he reminded, mocking, " _third daughter."_

"Technically that would make me your sister, Ichigo."

He scowled at her reflection. "Shut up and brush your damn teeth."

Smirking, she complied, allowing him that victory because  _Guys don't like being beat too often, Rukia-chan, it's not good for their fragile egos_ , though she inwardly snorted at the thought, Rangiku clearly didn't know Ichigo.

With a flick, she gracefully rinsed her mouth, cleaned her toothbrush and celebrated by yanking the hem of his shirt and using it to wipe her mouth dry.

Used to this violation, he only rolled his eyes and grumbled something beneath the toothpaste beard he was sporting.

In their room, a single piece of luggage sat open on the bed.

It was just easier to pack that way, Ichigo had reasoned when he got it almost a year ago.

No doubt it had something to do with the time he forgot his bag at the apartment and all the clothes he had left behind in his childhood home found themselves in a donation box while he was away. Yuzu and Ishida had the time of their lives upgrading Ichigo's wardrobe, and even Rukia had to admit that his clothes now suited him much better (mainly because she got to have his NICE VIBES shirt which just  _doesn't fit into his aesthetic anymore, Kuchiki-san_ ).

Tucking her toothbrush into her Chappy toiletry bag, collecting the chargers for their respective electronic devices and lodging them safely between the folded clothes already inside, she only paused to appreciate her handy work when Ichigo was standing beside her again, adding his toothbrush into his own pouch. "That everything?"

"We're good to go; did you switch off the geyser?" Rukia asked, turning to unwind her hair from the towel turban, and giving it a hard rub with the towel in a last-ditch attempt to dry it.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You changed the settings on the fridge, right?"

"Yes, and I told you for the hundredth time already, stop drinking the milk out of the carton, I drink it too, you know!" She punctuated with a snap of her towel at him.

"What," he mocked, "are you scared I have cooties or something?"

She snorted, not even dignifying him with a response before shutting the suitcase and starting to zip it closed.

Snickering, Ichigo reached for the other side of the bag to help her. "I'm just saying; we share a bed; a shower and you insist on sharing my clothes too." He made a slight motion with his head, indicating the scarf of his she pilfered and was now wrapped snuggly around her neck, though he reached over to loosen it a little so that her hair would be tucked in as well.

"And you want to share more?" she mocked, raising a brow as she looked up at him.

"It wouldn't even make a difference."

"You say that now, but one day I'm going to go too far," Rukia warned.

"Even if you did, your complete lack of shame would prevent you from caring."

"Well, if you won't set boundaries I sincerely hope your future partner won't put the blame on me then."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Ichigo said, "I don't know where you keep getting the idea that there'll be a future partner." She squinted at him, causing him to raise a brow. "What?"

Still squinting, she informed, "I'm trying to decide if you're being modest or just dense."

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?!"

There was a pause as she scrutinized his expression. His features were sharp and distinct, everything from his bone structure to his tan to his hair read as vaguely foreign. While before he was, in her completely unbiased opinion, good looking enough for a fifteen-year-old and then a seventeen-year-old, he had certainly grown into his looks significantly since then.

She'd even admit that he was handsome if he asked, though she certainly wouldn't volunteer it as she concluded, "You're not ugly."

He scowled. "Only you could make a compliment sound like an insult."

Tilting her head to mentally note their height difference, she mused, "And you get points for being tall."

"That's not noteworthy,  _everyone_ is taller than you," he pointed out, but was just as quickly ignored as she continued to catalogue, "You're smart, undertaking a noble vocation and you're financially stable."

"And?"

She hummed, carrying his discarded jacket and shoving his cell phone into her jeans’ pocket as he hauled their suitcase off the bed. "There'd be no reason why you  _couldn't_  get a girl."

"Unless I didn't want one."

"Considering how hectic your studies are, it would be best without the distraction of a significant other," Rukia approved. "And any other misgivings you have about starting a relationship will likely be dealt with in its own time, though, why aren't you inclined to it? It seems to be a very normal thing; it's frankly almost expected at this age."

Stopping to set the alarm, he rubbed the back of his neck, the noticeable swallow she noted as a possible sign of a sore throat – was he sick? "Well, everyone thinks I'm screwing you."

"Girls still ask you out," she reminded, and when he huffed – his cheeks turning pink – Rukia mused teasingly, "or are you waiting for a specific girl to ask you?"

When he couldn't think of a denial fast enough beyond a splutter of half-almost words, she smirked. "Saviour of the world too scared of rejection by a girl?"

"It's not that – just – gah, Rukia -!"

Swinging the front door open for him and then locking it in his wake, she only shook her head with an amused chuckle until – after the trek down several floors and half way through buckling herself in the passenger seat of his car – it dawned on her –

Ichigo getting a partner, in a different sense to Rukia herself, would mean that she'd have to share him – he was right, personal space was nothing to the two of them, and their routine was built up of them living together, and around each other's lives.

Random strangers thinking they were together was such a norm too that now that Rukia really thought about it, what girl would be fine with her boyfriend having such a relationship with someone other than herself?

The hazard of Ichigo was – glancing at the hand he placed on her thigh to push up his phone, not wanting to verbally bother her for it – was that being with him was entirely too comfortable for her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ichigo," she grumbled, glaring at him from the other side of the gearbox. "Are you going to answer that?"

He glanced at his phone, the generic ringtone clashing with the soothing base from some Khalid song he couldn't remember the name of. His eyes flickered back to the highway in front of him.

"It's not important."

Beside him, Rukia snorted. "If it's not important, why are they calling you so many times?"

"It's only the second time," he argued.

"First time could be a mistake," she said, "but the second time is definitely on purpose. Who is it anyway? Why don't I just answer it?"

"Just let it ring, it's probably Dad." That was a reasonable excuse, his dad called him twelve times in one night just to let him know that he was proud of his, quote, "Idiot son getting into such a noble profession ", and by then, Ichigo had only been upstairs in his room. It wouldn't be unbelievable –

"If it was, he would've called me by now," she correctly deduced, and he scowled.

Despite her protests to the contrary, Rukia accepted the honorary  _third daughter_  title with gusto – whether it was helping Yuzu make dinner, helping Karin with basic shinigami training, and helping the twins with homework, or running errands for his old man; his family were so used to her being around that sometimes they'd even ask for her help rather than his for just about anything.

If it baffled Ichigo, Rukia only showed nonchalance, though he remembered with clarity, the brightness of her eyes and the sincerity of her smile when she informed him that she didn't mind.

"Let me just -"

He complained, "Rukia, c'mon, I'm using the GPS."

"You know the way home," she retorted, careful to keep the AUX cable connected as she removed his phone from its place. He scowled as she put his phone to her ear, only to frown a second later. "It stopped."

"I told you, it's not important."

She stared at his screen thoughtfully, until, "Oh, they left a voicemail!"

Of course, she fucking did –

Before Ichigo could even come up with an excuse, he heard Inoue's voice over the loudspeaker, "Kurosaki-kun! Just wanted to let you know that I'm at the station already so you don't need to worry about picking me up or waiting for me or anything, I know you were probably busy since you didn't get any of my messages!"

"Convenient," Rukia muttered, and though she didn't look his way when she said it, Ichigo cringed.

"You didn't say when you'd be coming home," Inoue continued in cheerful obliviousness, "but I'm going to drop a casserole off at your house -"

Though her "wow" was limited to the movement of her lips, her companion could hear it loud and clear, while the only thought running through his head was  _shitshitshitshitshit._

Ichigo swallowed around the ball of saliva in his throat and said, "Okay, that's enough -"

"I disagree," she retorted, "when did she ask for a ride back to Karakura?"

Outwardly, he maintained a neutral expression, and even managed a careless shrug as he replied, "A few days ago."

"And you didn't say anything because…?"

"I had to tell you?"

"Don't divert, this has nothing to do with me," she declared, rolling her eyes. "We could have taken her with, it's not like we don't have an empty backseat or enough storage space in the boot."

Despite what she was saying, this had absolutely everything to do with her, and Ichigo really wasn't about to spell it out especially considering how it would hurt her feelings. Despite her warning, he decided that diversion was the only way to handle this, "I just thought it would be easier, her place is closer to the station anyway – going home and from the university itself."

"Yes, but Tatsuki still lives in your neighbourhood, maybe Inoue was going to stay with her?"

"That's…possible."

"So, what? You didn't even ask her what her plan was?"

God, there was that holier-than-thou, I-expected-better-from-you tone. He exhaled slowly _._ "No, I didn't."

For a moment there was a tense silence, and without really realizing it, Ichigo had started to tighten and loosen his grip on the steering wheel periodically, like he was working out his anxiety with a stress ball. Until, softly, Rukia said, "But she's your friend." Shit. Her voice had dropped, quieter, gentler, and shit – she sounds disappointed in you.

And suddenly he's getting flashbacks of her looking away from him abruptly – eyes downcast with her lower lip caught between her teeth – the shade of blue in her eyes darkening and dulling at the same time, her posture slumping in the smallest though most noticeable of ways –

Damn it, he internally huffed though with no less hesitation than before did he decide,  _fine_ , you can have the truth: "But she's not yours."

The hum of the AC was unnaturally loud in the pause that followed until Rukia sighed. "I know."

He cut a glance her way.

With her feet were propped up against the dashboard of the car, a single foot tapping in the air with the beat of  _Another Sad Love Song_ lashes fluttering like butterfly wings against snow white cheeks, as if she hadn't just acknowledged what she had.

"What do you mean you know?"

She shrugged. "Exactly that." Meeting his eye, she tried a smile. "It's not like I never knew."

He could hear the tightness in his own voice, and the constant constriction and slackening of his grip on the wheel continued, "Did she say anything to you or do anything -"

"No, it was just a feeling," she interjected, looking straight through the windscreen. "Inoue, she's a good person – a nice person – but she's allowed to not like someone."

"But you didn't do anything to her" –  _Rukia would never – "_ you don't deserve it."

"I don't need to deserve, no one does," and there was something so resigned about those words that he was tempted to stop the car right there and – just  _do something_ to make her feel better. His deepening frown seemed to do the trick somehow when she shook her head, and informed with her usual self-assurance, "Ichigo, it's fine; I'm fine."

"She doesn't make you feel bad, though, does she? When she's around?"

"No, I just ignore her – she is your friend – and it isn't like she says or does things to make me feel unwanted. I just get the sense that she doesn't like me."

The end of  _8teen_  signalled the last song on the Khalid playlist, and the few seconds of silence brought on another question he didn't really want to have to explain: "Is that why you weren't answering her messages?"

"Well yeah," and at the prompting look she sent his way, Ichigo cleared his throat. "I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her no, but I also don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Rukia chuckled a little. "I think we make her uncomfortable."

"That too," he acknowledged with a slight smirk.

As he slowed at a toll booth, she asked, "How'd you know, by the way? You're usually pretty dense."

"Ha-ha," he mocked, ignoring the heat that touched his ears. "I just…had a feeling."

More like he started to finally notice how dismissive Inoue was towards Rukia while Rukia herself would always try to make the other girl comfortable, to check on her because Tatsuki was so far away, to remind  _him_  that Inoue had feelings and he occasionally hurt them with his carelessness. And it pissed him off, honestly, that Rukia - the idiot - didn't know when to stop giving, and Inoue didn't stop taking.

Rukia interrupted his thoughts, "And you just decided you were going to keep it a secret from me?"

"No, I was just going to keep it to myself and keep Inoue away from you."

"And how would that be possible, realistically?" she asked with a snort. "We live together."

Ichigo recalled a time during their second year at the university when Rukia was required back at Soul Society for almost two weeks, and both Renji (who did a shit job of replacing her) and Chad accused him of sulking.  _Chad. "_ So, then Inoue'll stay away," he decided with a shrug.

Ichigo supposed that it was a hazard of being exposed to such close quarters with Rukia for as long as they had, he just instinctively needed her with him.

Whether they were back in Karakura or in Tokyo, wherever she was, he was - and he had no issues with that arrangement, and he wasn't looking to alter it in any way either. Inoue's feelings on the matter be damned. "I'm fine with that."

Her laugh came as a short burst, the sound alone had his lips quirking at the corners, even as she accused, "You're a terrible friend."

"To her – to you, I'm the best."

She snickered. "Not disagreeing with you. And just so you know, I know why."

He feigned confusion.” ‘Why' what?"

"Why you tried to keep it from me," Rukia verified simply.

"Because I'm the greatest best friend ever?" he guessed, and looking thoughtful she amended, "We'll talk about that title when you buy me the latest Chappy merchandise -"

"You just bought -" he interjected in a groan, though she was just as quick to interrupt him by saying, "You didn't want to tell me because you were trying to protect me, and I appreciate it."

Ichigo shook his head slightly, accomplishing very little in keeping the flush at his neck from reaching his cheeks. "Yeah well, you'd do the same for me."

Without hesitation, Rukia confirmed, "Yes, yes I would."

And that was a hazard Ichigo could always live with – having her in his life – knowing without a doubt that no matter the situation, Rukia would have his back – because he had hers.


	6. Chapter 6

Rukia knew there was something wrong when she started to experience some overstimulation.

Her sense of smell felt heightened somehow; walking into the Kurosaki house almost gave her a headache when she was hit with the aroma of a recently cooked meal, the jasmine perfume Yuzu wore, the smell of sunshine on Karin's skin and the faded scent of Isshin's aftershave; it was a headache that wasn't a headache, though - it made her heart sore instead of her head - and it wasn't necessarily  _unpleasant_  just...overwhelming.

(It had nothing to do with the fact that both Karin and Yuzu hugged her 'hello', and she could feel how genuine they were when the latter informed her how missed she was at home.

And oh! "Welcome home!" definitely didn't make her heart twinge painfully - it didn't make her want to curl up and cry and squeeze them both so tight because no one had ever  _missed her, no place ever felt like home until this place._ )

But she ignored it, sentimentally et al.

Instead, she sat through a pleasant dinner (where she was too distracted to be  _home_  to eat) and friendly banter about how university was going, and how school was going for the twins, and whether Ichigo was taking care of her adequately until Rukia started to heat up.

(It had nothing to do with Isshin's none too subtle suggestions about what  _taking care of her_ meant, no matter how many times Karin kicked him under the table and Ichigo turned so red she was worried he was going to pass out.

Rukia should have been used to it, anyway - it definitely wasn't that.)

Yuzu had observed it being warmer this year compared to last (as if to alleviate the fighting between her brother and father), but Rukia was convinced they were underneath a magnifying lamp or something – the heat felt so concentrated she was certain it must a be pro-longed hot flash – if that was a thing shinigami could experience.

She collapsed face first onto the bed after and groaned at the cool sheets that met her skin. She felt grossly clammy but was also too exhausted -  _too happy -_ to care.

The drive wasn't particularly long, clocking in at four hours, but coming out of a full shift at work to sit in a car was not helping her aching muscles; no matter how nice the twins' hugs were.

God, the hazards of being in the World of the Living; gigais were so hopelessly fragile.

(And being in the World of the Living made her heart just so too.)

"You're a lazy shit."

Making a 'tsk' noise which was muffled against the mattress as Rukia turned her head to acknowledge her roommate, watching him deposit their luggage on his desk. He paused to stretch – his back clicking satisfyingly as his shirt rode over his waist and flashed that dimple at his lower back.

Vaguely, she registered an involuntary twitch in her body, but she shook it off.

(He was a good-looking twenty-something-year-old, what did it matter if she was physically attracted to him?)

"I'm tired," was her retort, her eyes flickering up to meet his as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Yeah, I noticed," he said, though he sounded gruff she knew him well enough to hear the note of concern. He was such a mother hen, she thought with a snort. "You couldn't even eat any of the food Yuzu made," he continued, and Rukia puffed out a breath. Yuzu had even made her favourite. It was a travesty.  _Too overwhelmed that she remembered - too overwhelmed that she cared enough to do it -_

"I'll have it for lunch tomorrow," she decided, burying her head into the material of the mattress, catching the scent of the laundry detergent that matched the smell of Karin's shirt

They just changed the sheets; Rukia thought almost deliriously, they're so nice.

"Damn it, did they remember to turn the AC on in here?"

She listened to him bustle around the room with her eyes closed. She'd done it often enough when she stayed in his closet that she could map his movements easily enough: He decided against popping open the window and left the room to fiddle with the thermostat directly before he returned, barefooted this time, and went over to the bag again – opening it, moving some things around and then zipping it closed.

He paused, then the sound of the door opening and closing followed, and then there was silence.

If she strained her ears, she could hear the shower turn on.

Satisfied that he wasn't going to evict her from his bed from where he currently was, Rukia allowed herself to drift and was woken ten – maybe fifteen minutes later, though fortunately, he shut the lights off after he came in.

"Oi, move over."

With a strained groan of displeasure at his incessant prodding, she deigned to move a few inches – dragging herself closer to the cold wall and deciding  _yes, this was a good idea_ , before she felt the bed dip with his added weight.

Of course, the fool hadn't stopped growing and even with the ample space she left, he couldn't help that half of his body was on her.

"Ichigo," she stretched out, turning her head to glare at him through the curtain of her hair.

"What?"

"You're heavy, and you're hot."

"I didn't realize they couldn't be in the same sentence, Rukia."

She hated that she had to think about it for a second, though she furrowed a brow at him nonetheless and ordered, "Shut up, and move – you're like a furnace."

Thankfully, he complied how he could, inching a bit further away so that only their sides were touching, but the gap seemed enough to soothe some of the rising heat that was flushing her cheeks.

His smell was everywhere.

Granted, his room had been vacant all the time they were in Tokyo, and that familiar unique scent was more a memory than actually there (their apartment smelled more like him than his room did), but the man himself was close enough and fresh enough from his shower that it was literally  _everywhere_.

Warm and spicy with a dizzying helping of whatever it was that made guys smell nice without trying, and for whatever reason, it was enticing her to move over, lie on his chest and just take the biggest deep breath in.

_(There's definitely something wrong with this gigai.)_

"You sure you're okay, you're not getting sick are you?"

She made a noncommittal humming noise, thinking distantly that it would explain the temperature fluctuations she was experiencing. But that was impossible, gigais couldn't  _get sick._

( _But also - it made sense because it couldn't_ be _anything else.)_

Already, she could hear the parting of his lips to complain about her not taking care of herself before she interjected, _"_ I'll see Urahara tomorrow to get it checked up."

Beside her, Ichigo said nothing, and when she peered at him, finding him slightly higher on the bed than her with his hand cradling his head on the pillow, he asked the ceiling, "You sleeping here?"

She shrugged. "It'll be too warm in the closet."

"You still fit in there?"

"Shut up."

He snickered, and they lapsed into comfortable silence.

Having shared the same bed for so long while at the university, she wasn't bothered by having him so close – or at least she shouldn't be.

Still, she turned to lie on her side, sighing in relief as the coolness of the wall crept through the material of her shirt and settled against the skin of her back; she curled her knees slightly towards her chest - her customary sleeping position.

He glanced over. "Better?"

Nodding almost distractedly, she echoed, "Better."

His hand came to rest on her knee as he too settled into sleep, though he was still restless as his fingers drummed a tuneless beat against her skin.

Rukia could have still fallen asleep; it was a hazard that came with being so used to Ichigo's presence. He could be doing literally anything next to her from reading with the lamp on by his bedside to listening to music just loud enough on his earphones that she dozed off to it. Sometimes when he was stressed out, he paced up and down the length of their room and only when he was ready to bounce his thoughts aloud did he wake her (to be fair, she insisted he had to otherwise he looked crazy).

This was a similar case. She huffed a breath out. "What?"

"'What' what?"

"I can hear you thinking."

When he didn't say anything, she forced her eyes open and tilted her head at him, puffing an exhale through her nose. "You have my attention – what?"

"Inoue called."

She raised her brows. "Okay?"

"She wants to go to the beach tomorrow; the weather will be pretty cool so we probably won't get to swim but -"

Her raised her brow incredulously. "Are you asking my permission?"

"No," he snorted. "I'm asking if you want to go."

Sighing dramatically, she raised herself slight to look at him better. "I'm not interrupting another not-date again; I already told you she doesn't like me."

Not that Rukia could blame her. It wasn't like Inoue purposely let her know how she felt, it was the perception and intuition thing, Rukia couldn't help but know. After all, Rukia herself was in a similar boat once upon a time.

Though, the difference between them was glaring; Rukia had never had a shot with Kaien, she knew it and didn't push for anything more (even without knowing he was married), Inoue on the other hand –

"It's not a not-date," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Ishida are coming, and Chad should be here by tomorrow too."

"Oh."

"We'll be leaving before ten, so you know – if you want to pack anything."

"Mm," she hummed, "I'll let you know in the morning."

At the pause that followed, she raised a brow. "Is that all?"

For a second, Rukia thought he would lie to her, instead he asked, "Are you sure you're okay, about the Inoue-thing?"

"What thing, Ichigo? I knew a long time ago." She couldn't even hide her confusion. Why did it bother him so much?

"Then how come I didn't?"

 _So that's it._  She sighed. "Ichigo -"

"She came with me to Soul Society to save you, how could she not like you?"

"Because she likes you," Rukia explained patiently. It wasn't like he didn't know. He may be dense sometimes, but he wasn't stupid. He probably knew even before he became a substitute shinigami, it wasn't like Inoue was being subtle about it.

When he said nothing, she sighed again and settled beside him, pillowing her chin atop her folded arms. "She went for you – just like Chad did, and Ishida mostly went because Inoue did. You were the only one who came for me."

At his furrowed brow, likely to disagree with her because  _they were your friends too_ , her eyes softened.  _No, they weren't._ "I don't mind, really. I wasn't even that surprised you came at all."

He scoffed. "You thought I'd let them take you without a fight?"

"Hence why I said I wasn't that surprised, even though you could have died," Rukia said, the recollection had her rolling her eyes. The fool didn't realize how much she was willing to die then and there if only to get him home safely. "You're such an idiot."

"I'm the idiot that saved your life."

"Still an idiot." When he grunted in displeasure, though she shook her head and lay properly on the pillow beside him. "You're my idiot, though so I guess that makes up for it."

Turning on his side to face her fully, he said with a strange expression, "Inoue doesn't like you because of me."

"Seems like it." She shrugged. "I can't blame her. Inoue likes you, a lot. And how other way are you supposed to feel when someone you feel strongly about is connected to someone else on a level you can't?"

He paused, brown eyes flickering over her face in the darkness. "I wouldn't be happy about it."

"And if you saw it  _all the time_ ," she persisted.

He exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, okay, I see your point."

"It's not a big deal," Rukia repeated. "You worry too much."

"Yeah, well when I don't have to think about studying or run around chasing Hollows, there tends to be a lot of space in my head for other stuff," he said by way of explanation, the slit of the moon from outside catching the sheepish tilt of his lips.

"Inoue cares about you a lot," she said at length. "You can be friends with her and with me at the same time you know."

"I know."

When he said nothing more, she snuggled into the covers; still too close to him that every breath he took was a caress of warm minty breath, and she resisted the urge to rub away the Goosebumps that sprung up against her neck and arms.

"Rukia."

"Mm?"

"I'm sorry that I didn't notice sooner."

She smiled at him through the darkness. He was such a softie. Giving in to the urge to reward him for his thoughtfulness, she squeezed his hand which lay atop her knee. "It's okay. I've never really had a lot of friends anyway, and you're kind of a handful so…"

He didn't let go as he snorted. "Gee thanks."

"You're welcome. Now go to sleep, we're going to the beach tomorrow."

In the morning, when she found that they had moved from their positions facing each other, and she was now sprawled on top of him with their hands still intertwined on his chest, she'd blame the rising blush and the annoying tugging at her heart to  _staystaystay_ on her malfunctioning gigai.

It was a hazard to be human.

_(And not because she admitted to herself that she liked it.)_


	7. Chapter 7

"We're going to be late, Ichigo."

"You keep saying that," he said into his pillow, "but I still don't care." He grunted then as the added weight of her came to rest on his back, her skin against his and the warmth of her breath on his neck.

"Ichigo," she whined in that annoying voice of hers, a curl of black hair brushing against his cheek as she rested her chin against his shoulder. "Chad and Ishida are already downstairs."

"They'll survive."

For a moment there was blessed silence before he felt her fingers trailing down from the nape of his neck to trace the vertebrae of his spine. The light touch had him drifting back to sleep until she dug her fingers into the dimples at his lower back, her digits lingering at the waistband of his boxers. He hissed. "Rukia, damn it."

"Get up."

Already am, he thought grimly. "Stop it,” he said instead.

"We're going to be late," she emphasized, bouncing slightly as if  _that_  would encourage him to leave the bed.

He growled in warning, but when all she did was move her leg slightly so that it was between his; her knee brushing against a certain appendage tauntingly, he knew he had to do something. Half on instinct and half in reprimand, he had them flipped around in mere moments. With her below him, jet black hair scattered across the once vacant pillow and pink lips parted in slight surprise, he growled again.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?"

Her eyes widened for only a fraction of a second before she had the audacity to smirk at him. "You're awake now though, aren't you?"

Bitch.

"Come on," she probed, poking at his sides. "Get dressed – we're going to the beach."

Rolling his eyes and exhaling a breath through his nose, he scowled down at her. "The beach isn't going anywhere."

"But I might."

With a furrow of his brow, his sleep addled brain recalled, "Did you see Urahara yet?"

She nodded and opened her mouth to tell him so until the sound of his bedroom door being thrown open interrupted her – along with the bellow of his father, "My son becoming a man! Look at that form!"

The hazard of being back under his father's roof: his father.

His scowl deepened.

Goddamn it.

"A-ano, Kurosaki-kun?"

There was something weird going on, Ichigo decided, and it definitely wasn't because his morning had started off as violently as it usually did when he was at home.

And even if it were, it wasn't like his day was totally ruined as a result.

The weather, it turned out, was surprisingly warm and everyone was coerced into the waters for a dip. Though Tatsuki did send Keigo flying with an ill-made decision to  _accidentally_  grope her and use the waves as an excuse.

Chad had even brought his guitar, and after growing bored of splashing each other, he returned to the sand to set up camp and laid out on the towels before serenading a lone seagull. Mizuiro, who had brought his girlfriend of the week, was more than happy to use the romantic tunes to his advantage.

"A-ah, Kurosaki-kun!"

It was a good day, in all. Not a Hollow in sight, and not a single notification on Rukia's phone.

But something was wrong; he just knew it, and not knowing what wasn't going to stop him.

Though, he also wasn't crazy, and decided that the only way he'd get to the bottom of things was through a process of elimination:

He had managed to drive to the beach perfectly safe, his car providing ample space for Chad, Ishida and Rukia, the latter of the two arguing over what music was "beach occasion" with Chad refusing to break the stalemate and Ichigo declaring that if they didn't shut up, he'd turn the car around.

Mizuiro was easily entertained with his girlfriend (Yuki – something or other), and Keigo was more than willing to drool over how feminine Tatsuki apparently looked, and  _Inoue-chan looks amazing – and Kuchiki-chan, kya Ichigo, you're holding out on me!_ So, Ichigo assumed he was fine too.

Tatsuki, irritation over Keigo aside, was as competitive and abrasive as ever – demanding they battle it out to see who was better. She was like a less deranged version of Kenpachi, ever since his childhood friend got into the Olympics she was her competitive edge seemed to double. Though, her beach version was apparently playing volleyball and racing down sand dunes.

"K-Kurosaki-kun!"

But something still wasn't right.

"Oi, Ichigo," Tatsuki called out, voice irritated. "Orihime's trying to talk to you."

He only managed a distracted "huh" noise before reminding himself that  _Rukia said she's fine_ , and asking neutrally, "What's up?"

Flashing him an awkward smile, Inoue asked, "I-erm, I wanted to know if maybe you'd like to walk on the beach with me, Kurosaki-kun?"

Shrugging, despite the alarmed look on Tatsuki's face, he nodded his assent. "Sure."

Though Inoue bumped him slightly on the side as she came to join him, he said nothing and for almost two minutes, they walked in silence which was just fine with him because he was still preoccupied with figuring out what was wrong, until he saw it in the distance:

"What are Ishida and Rukia talking about?"

"O-oh, I didn't even realize they were together," Inoue said, looking away from him to spare his friends a glance. When Ichigo only narrowed his eyes in thought, she continued in a bit of a rush, "I saw them talking earlier; I didn't realize they had so much to say to one another…"

Which he couldn't fault, Rukia herself admitted that she didn't have friends besides him, and he doubted that she had suddenly gotten closer to Ishida. It wasn't like they talked – at least Chad was with them at the university –

Tentatively, Inoue interjected, "Well you know, walking along the beach is pretty romantic maybe that's what they're doing?"

They – looked cosy enough? They weren't holding hands or anything, but she seemed to be interested in what he was saying – and Ichigo was sure that they had stuff in common, of the non-romantic variety anyway.

Last year, Rukia petitioned Ishida to help her cosplay some character and when they came to Karakura to collect the finished product over the weekend, she was gone almost the whole day. But that was –

"Actually, K-Kurosaki-kun, the reason I asked if you wanted to take this walk with me is because -"

Damn it, was  _this_  what he was missing? Ishida and Rukia, being a  _thing_?

 _Jesus, I can't be that dense_ , he thought with no small amount of desperation as he shook his head to relieve the images that appeared unbidden into his mind's eye.

Before he'd even met Rukia, and found out that Ichigo was her substitute, Ishida hated shinigami; even if that wasn't the case anymore, and the two seemed to commiserate over Ichigo  _leaking reitsu like a fire hose_  and  _running off like an idiot and trying to get himself killed_ , it still didn't mean anything –

And what about Inoue, didn't Ishida have a crush on her or something?

Though, he did recall that Tatsuki did say that someone gained some perspective on unrequited love and maybe she was referring to Ishida (admittedly, Ichigo hoped it was Inoue). Could it be possible that Ishida had moved on so fast – to Rukia?

Impossible – it was the first time they were even seeing each other for months – it wasn't like she was going to leave him  _for Ishida_ , right?

" _But I might."_

Wait – she couldn't leave him for anyone, Ichigo reminded himself, Rukia wasn't  _his_  anyway. She was free to go off with whoever she wanted, she didn't need his permission and so what if she left him, it wasn't like his world would end.

This time,  _maybe_.

He cursed. Damn it, this is why he shouldn't be allowed to overthink.

Inoue was startled out of the sentence she was apparently in the middle of when he called out, "Oi, Rukia!"

The pair turned towards them, and Ichigo comforted himself that she didn't seem annoyed with the interruption and only waved back. Ishida too only adjusted his glasses, and Ichigo had to withhold the urge to smirk in triumph at an inward battle he was sure they had no idea they were a part of.

(He was going to blame this mental breakdown on Hichigo if anyone ever found out. This entire thing was just a hazard of having Rukia in his head anyway, so it was essentially her fault that he was going crazy.)

Inoue, however, seemed to have some idea that no one else had won but Ichigo, and sighed quietly before suggesting they return to the others.

Ichigo couldn't even remember why they were walking along the beach to begin with.

As the day ended an oncoming storm caused the wind to grow fierce, and the sea to churn menacingly in the distance.

A clap of thunder woke everyone from their dozing and had them scattering to pack up the cars and quit the beach before it got worse.

Chad was out like a light in the back seat after babysitting Keigo all afternoon, after Tatsuki, successfully managed to chase away Mizuiro's admittedly clingy girlfriend of the week, it had left Chad with the responsibility of soothing their broken hearts.

Ishida, in turn, was sitting quietly beside the sleeping man, and taking loud sips of a juice box Rukia was kind enough to show him how to use.

Speaking of, Ichigo finally got to join her on the steps overlooking the beach when the car was all loaded up, sitting pensively with her chin on her knees, waiting for the rain to come down.

"You okay?"

She nodded.

"Come on, I feel like I haven't seen you all day," he probed. "You can't give me the silent treatment on top of that."

"I didn't mean to, it just kind of worked out that way." She paused. "Did-did Ishida talk to you yet?"

"About?"

Exhaling deeply, Rukia cut a glance at him and began, "He's coming to Tokyo."

Oh. "Okay…"

"Which means that no one will be here," she continued slowly a moment later.

"And…"

"And there'll be no representative for Karakura Town against Hollows?"

"There haven't been any Hollows for months," he reminded. "And Urahara's around anyway, not that it'll stop Soul Society from sending some unseated officer here in a few days, though Sandlehat's probably going to end up doing all the work anyway."

What should have comforted her only made her thin her lips. That wasn't a good sign.

"Rukia," he began, "what's this about?"

Another exhale was expelled and lost to the wind before she answered, "I spoke to Urahara today about my gigai malfunctioning."

"It's been malfunctioning?" She hadn't told him that. "Are you okay? Were you in pain or something?"

Shaking her head, she repeated, "No" a few times more than necessary that he was starting to worry that she was saying it to convince more herself than him, and then the other shoe dropped: "He said souls aren't meant to stay in gigais, at least not for long periods of time. The few occasions that I've been Hollow hunting haven't been enough to compensate especially since the last time I was in Soul Society was almost a year ago."

For a moment the only noise Ichigo could hear was the waves, before finally, he summarized, "You're going back."

Her nod was miniscule, but enough.

He swallowed. "How long?"

She took a shaky breath in and out, before whispering, "I…I don't know."

The hazard of going to the beach was that no one ever thought to bring an umbrella.


	8. Chapter 8

_I'm dying.  
15:32_

Rukia didn't mind being home.

It didn't really  _feel_ like home, at least not the same way the Kurosaki house, and her apartment with Ichigo felt. But her brother was here, and ever since her almost-execution, he'd become infinitely precious to her, and she, him.

He devoted time in his busy schedule to get her settled; dropped by at the Thirteenth Division to see how she was faring and sufficiently scaring the entire class of new recruits with his presence alone in the process. He even volunteered his company when she grew tired of the front she presented to the Kuchiki elders and needed some relief whether in the form of the training grounds or a walk about the district.

It was something she had to adjust to, all things considered.

Byakuya had always kept his affection sealed in his consideration of her and having him actively participate in her life had taken more than a few months apart.

Especially now that it was her first visit in almost a year.

Ichigo had said that her brother missed her, but the concept was foreign to Rukia.  _Missing_ was not an emotion she recognized, but upon finally spending time with her admittedly reclusive brother, she found that she did.

_You're so dramatic  
15:33_

Whenever Byakuya would raise his brows in the slightest way at some of the remarks made to him by the elders, Rukia had to cough to cover up the grin she felt tugged at her lips. Whenever he shot Renji a disapproving look, Rukia had to swallow the peal of laughter bubbling in her throat because  _you're screwed, Abarai, he's going to bury you in paperwork_. And at the slightest tug at the corner of his lip, Rukia knew was the closest thing to a smile that he had, at least before Hisana passed away.

Rukia found that she missed being privy to her brother's little tells, even if it meant he knew all of hers; hence why he upgraded her phone with the ability to contact anyone in the World of the Living through text messaging of all things.

Admittedly, they had been using the communication themselves ever since her stay in the World of the Living stretched longer and longer. But she always thought the upgrade was due to her nii-sama’s security clearance as captain and wouldn't be extended to her.

Ichigo practically died when he found out because  _Are you telling me Byakuya **texts**?_

It made being home, in Soul Society, easier.

_I swear to god, I'll come over there and drag you back myself if I have to.  
15:33_

At least that's what she told herself.

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she stared at the message with an uncomfortable urge to grin like an idiot.

Renji had already given her shit for it, and she wasn't about to fuel whatever rumours Rangiku was going to float around once he opened his big mouth. Knowing him, the hope that he wouldn't was fleeting.

Renji and her brother (because there was no way members of his calligraphy club  _didn't know_ with the way they sent suggestive looks her way at any mention of Ichigo) were actually the biggest gossips she knew, and she was friends with actual teenage girls.

_It's only been a week.  
15:35_

_A week too long; what are you even doing over there?  
15:37_

_Nothing. Come get me –_ She paused and erased it one letter at a time.

Knowing Ichigo, he probably would. Not that she'd resist much.

Unlike her previous visits to Soul Society, there was no urgency to being back home; no emergency she had to tend to. All she had to do was be  _home_ , and she found herself restless.

She loved being back with her nii-sama and childhood best friend, but –

Ichigo wasn't here, and that was a hazard on its own.

She couldn't deny it if she tried.

It was a strange feeling.

The longing was similar to how she felt in the seventeen months they had apart, but she convinced herself that she was only being selfish.

Now?

She  _missed him_.

It wasn't like their separation even had the hint of being as permanent as it had been before, she would go back to him eventually, but she still missed him.

Waking up by herself took readjustment, and having meals be served to her instead of fighting over whose turn it was to cook was like realizing she was living life as two different people in two different realities.

Both Renji and her brother knew her too well not to know how she felt whenever she had that  _lost_ look Renji accused her of sporting sometimes when she wasn't paying attention.

_I'm getting a tan  
15:38_

She sent instead.

_You can do that on the balcony  
15:39_

Snorting she didn't have time to reply before he sent another message:

_How are you feeling anyway? What's the diagnosis?  
15:39_

_I'm fine; training the new recruits has helped. But there's nothing to compare it to, there's not much of a record of shinigami inhabiting gigais for as long as I have. Just your dad’s, but Urahara said that he was working on it.  
15:42_

She added:

_Why are you so huffy anyway? You lasted two weeks without me just fine  
15:44_

_Ishida is all twitchy and shit, and it's driving me crazy  
15:46_

Their friend (because that's what Uryuu insisted they were at the beach) was still looking for a more permanent residence while in Tokyo, and out of the goodness of Ichigo's heart (and a swift kick from Rukia), Uryuu was offered the couch until further notice.

 _I guess he still hasn't told him_ , Rukia thought with a snicker. Ichigo was going to be a lot more pissed when he found out.

_Aww, so you don't miss me?  
15:46_

_Are you kidding me, I get to finally have the whole bed to myself  
15:48_

_But also,_ he added not a moment later, _ts Inoue's fault._

Rukia furrowed her brow.

_What?  
15:50_

_Tatsuki told me he was over Inoue, but she's been acting weird since we got back and he's trying to help her but also looks uncomfortable as hell doing it  
15:51_

_So, the love triangle continues?_ Rukia teased knowing if she did have to term it as such it would be the exact opposite of a triangle because neither one of the guys involved had any interest in being a part of it.

It felt good to be on the inside, was this what having friends was like?

_Why are you trying to make me pissed at you?  
15:55_

_Because then you'll miss me less  
15:56_

_Well if you come home, I won't miss you at all  
15:57_

She chuckled, typing out her response before putting her phone away – the opened chat still brightly lit on her screen with a single word promise of:  _Soon_  as her final reply before she set her phone aside and returned to the paperwork she still had to complete.

She'd be back soon enough, and as Isshin had said with a wink before she left: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.


	9. Chapter 9

_You can't be serious  
10:09_

_I am. Stab them.  
10:10_

Not even a second later, he added:

_Or let me.  
10:10_

_They're just traditional; it's not a big deal. It's not like I'm accepting it.  
10:11_

God, he could practically hear her eyes roll. Furiously, he tapped out:

_See, if you came home sooner this wouldn't have happened  
10:12_

Vaguely, he heard someone clear their throat, but he ignored them, too caught up in a scary sense of calm that was coming over him at the thought of ripping those assholes a new one, and a self-righteous "I told you so" to the midget who still hadn't come back after a month away.

Pft, she deserved this shit for all he cared.

_Fuck off  
10:12_

Okay fine, maybe she didn't deserve it.

 _Just let me come get you._  
I'll take care of it  
10:14

_You're not coming to Soul Society and massacring my family  
10:15_

But she wanted him to. She wouldn't have told him about this otherwise.

Ignoring the fact that he basically annoyed her into telling him last night when she was being suspiciously evasive about how her day was and what that meeting with her family elders was about.

It was a hazard really, their texting.

Even when they were living together there was a distance between them – not in the physical sense – but in what constituted as "sharing".

Rukia usually volunteered the small stuff freely – and he'd return in the same vein – never anything more than what the situation called for.

The texting changed that.

Now, he had to ask, and frankly once that dam opened there was no closing it.

Hell, it was only ten in the morning and he already knew what she had for breakfast, about the weird dream she had and what the rest of her day looked like – something he'd usually glean from observation because  _yup, she's having yoghurt, she definitely had a nightmare last night_ and  _she's packing that giant ass textbook, so she's got a morning class and she’s off in the afternoon._

He found himself asking what her life was like without him, and if he took some comfort in still being a part of that life – even just through their interactions on the phone – he could live with it.

If Rukia was surprised at his probing, she didn't show it and seemed to take his cues and offered the same questions that usually annoyed him coming from someone else.

In fact, since the texting became a regular thing – and by regular, he meant every single day and every few hours – he felt like he was getting to know her all over again.

Just without the awkward getting-to-know-you and jumping straight into the "Why are you having a shit day so I know who to threaten" spiel, only in their case, it was definitely not just fighting words.

The Kuchiki elders were trying to get Rukia hitched for god's sake.

 _Technically the only one you like is Byakuya_  
And I'm assuming he isn't happy about this either  
So the rest are fair game  
10:17

_I'll talk to you later  
10:18_

_That's not a no  
10:19_

_Shut up and go to class  
10:21_

He grumbled, knowing she would ignore any messages he sent to her until then, and irritated, he abandoned his phone.

"Is something wrong, Kurosaki-kun?"

Before he could snap – because he would, the last thing he wanted to do was air Rukia's drama to Inoue, especially with the way she'd been for the past month since Rukia went back to Soul Society. He had no doubt her reaction would irritate him more – Ishida intervened, "You really should get your full seven hours of sleep. I know Kuchiki-san's schedule must be busy, but surely you can talk before midnight."

Yes, his late-night texting was a good enough excuse for his shitty mood, that, and the fact that sleeping by himself fucking sucked despite what he told her weeks ago.

Getting regular updates from Rukia didn't replace her presence, and if Chad gave him that  _you're sulking_ look again, Ichigo was going to need a Hollow to take his aggression out on.

He wasn't going to explain that to anyone though, and even if he hated it, he grumbled a "fine" and accepted the out that was given to him.

Rukia told him to be nice, and Ichigo still hadn't put to bed the suspicion that Ishida was tattle-tailing on him.

"What were we talking about?" he said a moment a later, trying to return to the conversation he hadn't really been a part of. What with Rukia admitting to last night taking up most of his focus, and the fact that she was meeting potential suitors of all things today, wasn't helping either.

"Oh!" Inoue perked up. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies tonight."

He cut a glance at Ishida on his left and Chad across from him, their expressions void of emotion – and trying to look like they weren't paying attention at all which only meant that the "you" wasn't a general "you" and was solely for Ichigo.

In the face of her hopeful smile he exhaled slowly through his nose.

Timing was everything and now was definitely not the time.

That Inoue was becoming bolder in her requests for his company while Rukia was away was pushing all the wrong buttons on him, that she would probably rejoice (however subtly) that Rukia's family was trying to marry her off while he and Rukia were apart only served to piss him off more.

There was no being nice in the face of that.

Rukia was going to kill him.

"Actually Inoue-san, Kurosaki said he'd show me downtown to look at a place," Ishida offered once more, and Ichigo released the breath he had been holding.

Oh, thank god.

"Oh, well maybe after?"

Again, Ishida saved him from Rukia's wrath, "I have a list of places; it could take a while."

There's no dodging lightning three times, he decided, and stood, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder. "We should probably get on it. One of them is close to campus right?"

Nodding, his friend adjusted his glasses and followed suit.

"Later," he dismissed without sparing a thought that he had no idea what Ishida was even talking about and thanking the spirits that he went along with it anyway.

His temporary housemate wasn't as difficult to live with as he first thought, considering they argued enough when they were younger – and still did sometimes because Ishida was a clean-freak and Ichigo took his time to get things done.

Still, for all the buffering work Ishida was doing while Rukia was away, Ichigo learned quickly enough to be grateful even if he had yet to ask why – though, now seemed the perfect time to ask:

"What's the deal?"

"About?"

"That," Ichigo jerked his head in a nod to the table they had just left. "Not that I regret having your backup."

"Kuchiki-san asked me to until you grow the balls to turn Inoue-san down yourself."

He felt his eye twitch. "Did she say that whole part?"

"No, but it was implied."

Jackass.

"Granted, I mostly did it because I owed her," he continued, adjusting his glasses once more.

"What about me? I'm giving you a place to stay."

"As grateful as I am for that, I think your generosity will be withdrawn sooner or later."

"You really think that lowly of me?"

Audibly, he swallowed, looking away. "I won't be attending classes with you all."

Ichigo blinked, surprised at the abrupt change of topic. "What?"

"I…I dropped out of medicine. My father is no longer funding me." Fortunately for Ichigo, he wasn't required to say anything more because Ishida barrelled ahead. "I'm pursuing fashion design, and Tokyo seemed like the best place to do it."

"Well that's…great," he finally settled on, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "But…what does that have to do with Rukia, and me being such a jerk that you think I'll kick you out before you find a place of your own?"

"She…She encouraged me to pursue what I felt was my purpose."

He didn't know much about Ishida's family situation, but Ichigo had the idea that his father was a lot different from Ichigo's own.

That Rukia had managed to convince him to do it in spite of the risk, was very much like her. That Ishida was disinherited as a result of his decision, and she thought of helping him - knowing he was too proud to ask for help?

"Sounds like her."

"And the reason why you'll probably kick me out is because…." He took a breath before he finally admitted, "I'm seeing Yuzu."

It was purely reactionary, but Rukia was still going to kill him, even as he insisted two minutes later, "You can hit me back" between trying to keep the blood leaking out of Ishida's nose.

_I'm going to kill you  
22:02_

_Uryuu told you?  
22:04_

_Yes, what the hell is even happening?_  
When did it happen?  
Why the hell did he tell you first?  
22:06

_Did you punch him?  
22:06_

… _yes  
22:08_

_That's why.  
22:10_

She was so smug he could practically see her cat-got-the-canary face. He scowled.

_I'm calling you  
22:11_

He waited for the blue ticks to indicate that she had read the message before he dialled and didn't have to wait a second longer before the line connected:

"Are you pissed at him?"

"No." His jaw clicked with the lie, though Rukia ignored it and charged on, "Good because the only reason he didn't tell you right away was because Yuzu asked him not to."

He scrubbed his face with his hand again. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know. He hasn't taken her out or anything, they've just been talking, as far as I know, and he's met your dad."

"So, everyone knows but me?"

"Basically."

"Rukia -"

"It just happened, okay?" she interjected, a mixture of patience and impatience in a way she only knew how. "I don't know what else to tell to you…They got close while you were away – Uryuu was helping out at the clinic – and when he decided to stop studying a few months ago – your dad's been helping him out."

"Was this before or after Yuzu?" he asked warily.

"During? I don't know. Yuzu told me last year that she liked some Uryuu, but he never indicated anything more. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons Uryuu finally took the leap and applied to Tokyo at all was because he hoped the distance would shake her out of it…."

"And you don't agree," he supplied, getting her to sigh.

"Yuzu doesn't look it, but she's stubborn. She's happy that he’s pursuing what he wants, and that he doesn't have to deal with his dad anymore."

"But?"

"But she felt like if he told you that they were together you'd be so against it that he finally broke it off."

"So, he's not only running from her, but he's using me as an excuse to break my baby sister's heart?" Ichigo demanded making Rukia sigh once more.

"How you turned that into an excuse to fight is amazing, have you been hanging around Kenpatchi when I wasn’t looking?”

When he grumbled something unintelligible, and she soothed, "Uryuu’s been through a lot, cut him some slack. It's not his fault he fell in love with her – don't you think he'd find enough reasons of his own, least of all your disapproval?"

He had no response, and again she sighed. "I didn't mean to keep it a secret, Yuzu just told me it was some guy, and I didn't realize it was Uruu until the beach when he pulled me aside to ask me what he should do. Though in hindsight I should have, the whole disowning thing was entirely too familiar."

"Why ask you though?"

"Because I'm the closest to you, I guess?" He could actually see her shrug helplessly. "Maybe he was hoping I'd soften the blow? I didn't want him to be the first person I told that I was leaving, and I certainly didn't have enough time to acclimatize you to the idea, so I am sorry you were blindsided…."

"Yeah, yeah, I was bound to find out sooner or later," he mumbled, adding, "I should have known he had someone with how often he was leaving to take phone calls and texting all the time."

"Careful, some might say that about you," she teased.

"Well, I hope they're saying that about you," he threw back. "You aren't getting married to some asshat from the Court of Pure Douchebags."

"Yes; they're all aware I live with the saviour of the world; he could crush mountains; he destroyed the Sokyoku, he reached bankai in less than a week; etcetcetc. Though," she cleared her throat. "Don't get it twisted, I can still lay you flat and I will – I told you to be nice!"

"Your threats mean nothing, Shortstack," he snorted.

"Just you wait, Kurosaki, I know where you sleep!"

He found himself snickering as he retorted, "Promises, promises."


	10. Chapter 10

_This is the second month straight I'm on shift at Tokyo General_  
At this stage, my blood is eighty percent coffee  
00:07

_I thought you guys were only doing electives?  
00:08_

_We are_  
They said they were doing it for our own good  
00:10

_They hate you  
00:12_

_Considering most of my shift involves paperwork, I'm inclined to agree  
00:13_

_So same as being a shinigami  
00:15_

_Are you telling me the only constant between life and death is paperwork?  
00:16_

_I won't have to._  
You're a smart cookie, Ichi-chan  
00:17

 _You can't hear me_  
but I just made a noise very close to a wounded animal  
00:18

_So sexy  
00:19_

Rukia could practically hear his snort before he replied a minute later:

_How are things in Soul Society?  
00:20_

_Decidedly less sexy  
00:21_

_You're killing me  
00:22_

It was her turn to snort before she shifted on her feet, absentmindedly stirring her tea.

_It's still in one piece if that's what you mean  
00:24_

_No shit  
00:25_

_Nii-sama decided my presence was encouraging the elders  
00:28_

Her brother hadn't said it in so many words, but he did want to spare her the drama of any of the elders giving her speeches about, "her duty and responsibility as an heir of the Kuchiki Clan".

_I told you so  
00:31_

Ignoring him, she continued:

_Which is why I've been in Karakura for the past few days  
00:32_

_What the fuck  
00:33_

Her screen lit up with his number less than a second later, and laughing she answered, "What's up Doc?"

"You're at the house, and you didn't tell me sooner?" She almost laughed at how conflicted he sounded – put out, relieved and annoyed at once; if that wasn't the perfect combination of their feelings towards each other on a daily basis.

"I wasn't at the house, I was at Karakura, at Urahara's," she elaborated.

Though, she did end up spending most of the day there – keeping the twins company as they studied. Being a senior in high school was definitely not something Rukia was interested in, at least with how they told it. The coursework alone bored her, add in the apparent high school drama Karin and Yuzu were going through, and Rukia could only sympathetically pat their heads and assure them that people only got more annoying as they got older.

"The veil's always been thinner there; Urahara figures that's the best way to monitor my condition in the gigai anyway."

He was silent, contemplating a moment before he guessed, "So you're staying in Karakura until further notice."

"Something like that," she allowed smile at her lips. She wasn't technically lying if he decided for himself. "Nii-sama commissioned an adjustment for my gigai, it's just a matter of testing it," Urahara assured her it would work; it did a sufficient job of taking care of Isshin when his days in the gigai stretched longer and longer in the World of the Living before his powers were stripped.

"You didn't tell me sooner," he accused.

"I wanted to surprise you," she teased. "The girls say 'hi' by the way. And also, Yuzu's very upset that you punched Ishida."

He groaned, "Still? That was like a month ago already!"

"She doesn't look it, but she holds a grudge pretty well; seems Yuzu's a lot darker and twister than she appears."

"Don't say that about my baby sister, she’s precious and too good for this world," he added, "especially Ishida."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Stop saying it like she's an actual baby. She's turning eighteen this year, she's basically an adult."

"When you're eighteen, you're still dumb."

"Yeah, you were living proof of that," she allowed, and she couldn't help the grin that formed at the corner of her lips at his annoyed silence – he was probably scowling too, the baby. "But you also saved the world at seventeen, so, I mean…"

"Different things, Rukia."

"You can save the world at seventeen, but she can't have a boyfriend at eighteen?"

"He's my age!"

"Yes, four years is horrifying," she lamented with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Imagine what people would say if we were dating."

"Which they do," he couldn't help but mutter.

"Exactly – how do you think people would feel if they knew I was at least a hundred years older than you?"

"That's different," Ichigo was quick to reply.

"And let's not forget," Rukia immediately reminded, "I, a hundred-year-old death god, slept in the closet of a fifteen-year-old boy."

"So, what you're saying is," he paused dramatically, "you're a pervert."

"Excuse me; I wasn't the one who would  _accidentally_ walk into the bathroom when I was still in the shower." Rukia was almost a hundred percent sure that it  _was_ an accident, especially the first few times. He blushed and stammered and then refused to look at her for at least an hour after. The other times, Rangiku recalled with a smirk, were not so innocent.

But that didn't matter, it wasn't like he ever did anything about it, she dismissed. He just became more flippant when it happened – and he didn't need an hour to stop blushing and avoiding her either. But Rukia assumed it was just because he had grown used to seeing whatever it was he saw, she thought, ignoring Rangiku's suggestive eyebrow wiggles when they talked about it.

"It's not like I could see anything – you steam up the whole fucking bathroom," Ichigo defended.

"You tried to look?"

He was silent, before finally, "Next question."

Rukia snorted.  _Wow. "_ You're not even going to – whatever, you're so hypocritical." When he only grumbled in reply, she repeated the sentiment, "It's not like he and Yuzu are even doing anything other than talking. I've been a part of the girl talk and they haven't so much as held hands."

Rangiku would have been wailing and crying, and the whole thing would have been a damn mess. Rangiku was already convinced Kurosaki men were late bloomers thanks to Ichigo's non-response to any of her suggestions - though, the busty lieutenant was convinced Rukia just sucked at following instructions - and Rukia was convinced Rangiku would be done with the whole family once she found out that Yuzu was all swoony and sighing over  _conversation_.

"Then how can they be  _dating_?"

"It's a chaste courtship," Rukia answered primly. "Nii-sama approves."

Ichigo made a vague choking noise. "You gossip with Byakuya?"

She dismissed this too because  _her dignified brother would **never**_. "He overheard your whining."

"I don't whine."

"'My sister likes a boy'," she mocked in her purposely-awful, whiny-Ichigo voice.

"Ishida is a grown man."

"I'm glad you think so well of him."

He said something intelligible under his breath (probably an insult directed at her, but what did she care, Rukia thought with a snicker), and in the interim, she asked, "How are things going with the two of you anyway?"

"Fine," Ichigo grumbled. "He's still at the apartment, he's basically moved into the dining room we never use. He has all his designs up on the wall, and he got a sewing machine. I think he even got a special mention or something at the faculty, and he hasn't even been there a full semester."

Humming thoughtfully as she leaned against the counter, raising her brow at her companion across from her, trying to look valiantly like he wasn't at all interested in his housemate's point of view. "Sounds like things are peachy."

"You did tell me to be nice."

She smirked. "And you also want to keep an eye on him in case Yuzu decides to drop by Tokyo with the intention of  _not_  visiting her darling brother?"

"Are you trying to drive me into an early grave?"

"What for? I'm going to be stuck with you either way."

"You're a peach," he retorted.

"Of course, Strawberry-chan," she said blowing a kiss into the phone, getting him to grumble again, though there was an undercurrent of a laugh.

"I need to get back to work; I still have another hour before I'm done here. You're lucky they gave us hospital shifts to distract me from coming into Soul Society to get you."

Like being swamped with work ever stopped him from charging into Soul Society, she rolled her eyes again good-naturedly. If Ishida hadn't talked him down enough times, they would probably be having an entirely different conversation right now. "You still would've come."

"Was planning it for tomorrow," he admitted, "but if you're in Karakura, I doubt they'd leave the Court of Pansies to propose to you."

With a mixture of offended and pretentious, she let him know, "I'm worth the journey."

"Yeah, yeah – I'll send you a message when I get home."

"Un," she hummed. “Be safe.”

“Yeah, yeah…I’ll come see you when I can.”

There was a distinct pause before the line dropped, and Rukia couldn't help but think they were supposed to fill it with something before she shook her head and slid her phone into her pocket. Reaching for her cup of tea, she pressed the rim to her lips and simply inhaled the aroma before taking a small sip.

"Kuchiki-san, is there anything I should expect?"

"I don't think you need to worry about getting kicked out, then again – it has been a month, Uryuu," she said with a smile.

"No," he corrected, "I meant when Kurosaki comes home. Am I going to be woken at two in the morning by yelling when he finds out you're here?"

With a snicker, Rukia patted him on the arm with her free hand as she walked passed him, cradling the mug in her hand. "Don't worry about it; I'm pretty sure he'll crash before he realizes I'm back. Goodnight."


	11. Chapter 11

The light in the dining room was still on, though the divider blocked the room from view. Shrugging, Ichigo tossed his keys into the decorative bowl and shed his jacket as he walked past the kitchen and opened his bedroom door with a yawn he didn't bother to conceal.

On the verge of crashing, he didn't bother to switch the light on as he shut the door behind him.

Fiddling with his belt, he grunted at the work required to take his jeans off and settled for his shirt halfway through, momentarily grateful that when he pulled the material over his head he didn't catch the strong scent of antiseptic. Still, he probably needed a shower, he realized belatedly, but couldn't muster the energy to get to it.

His phone, creating a significant annoyance in getting his jeans off, was removed and deciding against throwing it on the bed as was his habit, he put it between his lips and wiggled himself free.

Relieved, he crawled onto his side of the bed on top of the covers in his boxers and socks, rubbing the sleep off his face as he turned his phone on; glad for the foresight he had to put the brightness down by a lot so he wouldn't be blinded.

A picture of his sisters and idiot father greeted him from their latest Father-Daughter dance at the high school, and upon swiping the screen, a picture of him and Rukia with a background he didn't recognize. Rukia had taken a selfie and he charitably complied and actually smiled, arm thrown casually across her shoulders as if it always belonged there.

Inwardly, he chuckled. No wonder everyone always thought they were a couple.

Opening his messenger app, he selected his chat with her.

 _Home safe_  
tired as hell  
talk to you at noon  
02:32

Curiously, a light flashed to his right, Rukia's side of the bed, and he rubbed his eyes thinking he was imagining it.

And then he realized there was a lump beneath the covers that wasn't there when he left.

His phone buzzed just then, a new message notification he promptly ignored when the lump stirred and moaned a little at the noise.

"What the -"

There was another moan and then she turned abruptly, pulling the covers almost clean off from beneath him. Though, it did little good when she only used the material she hijacked to hug and ended up exposing her back to him instead as she faced the other way.

In the sliver of light coming from the window on his side of the bed, he caught sight of the colour of the shirt she was wearing, the graphic writing of _NICE VIBE_ catching the light and –

"Unbelievable."

Tugging the covers his way, and turning her in the process, she huffed out an annoyed breath and pinched her eyes closed.

Finally managing to pull the covers out from the side it was wedged between, exposing her legs and forcing them to curl up to her chest to retain the heat, she moaned once more, this time adding in a voice tinged in sleep, "Ichigo, you're mean."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Shh, I'm sleeping."

"Like hell you are," he hissed, all signs of exhaustion abandoning him as his chest filled up with a confusing cocktail of relief, irritation, and elation. "When – how?"

"Tomorrow," she mumbled, managing to strong arm him and tug the cover back over herself, snuggling back into her pillow next to his. "Go to sleep."

"How the – how can you expect me to sleep when you're -"

"Tomorrow," she insisted, nuzzling the pillow.

"Rukia -"

With an exasperated sigh, she peeked at him through sleepy half-lidded eyes and all protestations went right out his head because  _damn it, I missed just seeing your eyes_. She seemed to realize, on some level that she got him to shut up before she smiled slightly, raised an arm and invited him in for a half hug, and he fell in willingly because  _yeah, this doesn't happen when we're fully conscious_.

Almost immediately he was hit with the smell of her shampoo and his body-wash, and his grip tightened, feeling her legs tightening around his, socked feet pressing against his.

She tangled around him easily then, her arm thrown over his shoulder with fingers curling into his hair, her nose pressed against his collarbone with one of her legs wedged between his. When his hand came around her back, restless circles against the material of the shirt of his she claimed for herself, she sighed again, much more content than before. He could feel the curve of her smile on his chest, and in the darkness, he smiled back.

 _I missed you,_ he almost said, instead, he pressed his lips against her dark hair before he realized what he did – froze and –

A puff of air brushed against his skin, and he swallowed, peering down to find her sleeping once more.

Oh god, what the fuck.

He was supposed to have this shit contained, he thought to himself clenching and unclenching his fist – unconsciously bunching up her shirt in the process – which was actually his shirt, but not really because –

"Ichigo," she whined into his chest, eyes still pinched close. "You think so loudly, what's going on?"

"You're home," he blurted out.

"Yes, I know," Rukia said, patiently impatient as always. "I was going to talk to you about it tomorrow, figured you would just sleep and not notice me when you came home anyway."

So close.

"I…"

"Aren't you tired? Don't you want to talk about this later?"

"Rukia -"

"I know you came out of a shift and you must be exhausted, but thanks to me you're awake," she interjected, "But also – I haven't slept that great after having to sleep by myself so don't tease me, but I could literally go into a coma right now."

He exhaled,  _so it wasn't just me._

"Fine," he chose to say, his voice as grumpy as it usually sounded to his relief because now would really be a shitty time to start going all soft and mushy with feelings when she was sleep deprived and could possibly pass out at any point during – crap, was he somehow talking himself into this?

"Thank you," she said with some relief, lifting her head until her lips brushed his cheek lightly, and she murmured, "Good night" then, promptly rolled over and –

_Shitshitshitshit_

He lasted maybe twenty minutes in the bed staring at the ceiling and then her back and then – he got up as quietly as he could which wasn't a problem because, at that point, Rukia was sleeping like the dead. Ichigo grabbed his jeans off the floor and stepped into them outside his room, not wanting to risk waking her up.

"Kurosaki, what are you –?"

"I'm in love with Rukia."

Ishida blinked, settled his coffee cup back down, readjusted his glasses and then said slowly, "Yes, I know."

"You – what?" he asked, baffled.

"I know," his friend repeated. "Everyone with eyes knows."

" _What_?" Ichigo repeated again.

The Quincy sighed, and muttered to himself, "I'm not caffeinated enough for this" before saying, "You're just tired – get some sleep."

"She's in there."

"Yes," he said slowly. "That's where she sleeps, isn't it? Or do you actually make her sleep on the couch?"

"I'm being serious– she's back from Soul Society."

Still looking at him with a mixture of pity and an expression of  _you can't be this slow_ , Ishida said, "I know, I was here when she showed up." When he didn't reply, he sighed again. "Are you just realizing  _now_  that you're in love with her?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem? Most epiphanies don't make people stupider."

"Uryuu, you don't fucking get it."

He paused, lips pursed, before, "You risked your life to save her, you sacrificed your death for her, went through multiple levels of hell to get her back, fought every being that's gotten in the way of you reaching her and you practically tore through the people who hurt her like tissue; what am I not getting?"

"I – I don't know how to do the other stuff," he admitted, running his hands through his hair.

"What other stuff?"

"The stuff that doesn't include dying and leaving her, not just life and death shit because that's – that's not enough."

"What do you -"

"I don't know how to tell her without ruining  _everything_."

"Ichigo -"

"She changed my entire world," he insisted, "not just with the powers she gave me – and then the powers she helped me to regain on my own. Rukia – she's my best friend – and I'm going to screw this up and I don't know how to ask her to stay when I do."

"Why would you think you'd mess this up?" his companion asked quietly.

He took a breath, collapsed on the couch, repeating, "Because I don't know how to do that stuff." When he was met with silence, Ichigo elaborated, "The romantic stuff, the confessing, the feelings, the gestures, the life without having to save one another from Hollows are executions or – Everyone just assumes we're together, and I – I'm going to fall into that and think we are – and one day, some asshat is going to ask for her and she'll say yes because we're not  _really_  together, at least not in the way we should –"

"Should has nothing to do with it. Your situation has never been normal."

"Gee thanks."

"Shut up, I'm trying to help you." When Ichigo rolled his eyes, Ishida set his coffee aside. "You two are together, life and death stuff notwithstanding; you two are  _living_  together, in every sense but the romantic kind. That's not as hard of a fix as you think it is."

"What if she says no?"

It almost looked like he smiled, but Ichigo thought it was probably just the trick of the light, before, "She won't. She's just as comfortable as you in the situation you're in, I highly doubt it's because she simply tolerates you."

"See, if that was the case she wouldn't be talking about me finding someone else." It pissed him off whenever she brought it up, and he could never quite tell if it was because she didn't see  _them_  being a thing or because she didn't feel like she'd be the one he wanted because Rukia always thought of stuff like that.

Ishida shrugged. "She's probably thinking of the whole shinigami-not-actually-human thing which she can't be blamed for; you've been dealing with crazy things for almost your whole life. Maybe she thinks you  _want_  normal?"

"I had normal for seventeen months, not a fan," he deadpanned.

"Would it have been bearable if she hadn't been gone, but your powers still were?" Ishida ventured to ask.

"As long as she was there, I don't think I would have noticed all that much," he muttered. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing," Ishida said, "Just – you really love her, that's all."

He grunted, ignoring the redness seeping into the tips of his ears. "So, what now?"

"I don't know why you think I'd know what to do."

"Oh please, you're  _chastely_ dating my sister." It was Ishida's turn to blush, and Ichigo would have gone at it more but – damn it,  _he's dating Yuzu_. "How'd you manage that, what-what did you do?"

"I…" He cleared his throat, looking away. "We talked."

"Rukia and I talk," he argued.

"Banter, you two banter," Ishida corrected. "Like actual, honest to god; here's my soul, weigh it and find me worthy kind of talk."

"Are you fucking –"

"You're not allergic to feelings or romance, Kurosaki. You read Shakespeare religiously, don't tell me you didn't absorb any of that."

He huffed. "I don't want to come off like an idiot."

"She already knows you are one, I don't think you can go wrong here."

"Jackass."


	12. Chapter 12

_I know you're pissed, but you really didn't have to leave so early  
11:06_

_I'm not pissed  
11:08_

_You're not pissed, but you're also not here_  
Correlation?  
11:09

_Correlation does not equal causation  
11:10_

Knowing that she would be frowning at the reply, he added:

_I'm sorry you woke up alone  
11:11_

She sniffed. Damn right. Her first day back and he ups and leaves her without even a text to let her know? The only message he sent her was from earlier that morning, around the time he probably came home.

At first Rukia thought he really had just reached new levels of exhaustion and hadn't noticed her – perhaps she just dreamed up the whole thing with him pulling the covers and wanting hugs – until she turned to her side of the bed to grab her phone and sure enough –

_Did you at least like the flowers?  
11:11_

_You're so annoying  
11:13_

"Stupid," she additionally muttered to herself, her fingers still itching with the urge to grab at the offering still left untouched on her bedside. Though, frankly, she didn't need to touch them anyway, Ichigo had put the flowers into a vase with water, and with that, she added snappishly:

_You can get me flowers, but you can't write a simple note to tell me where you went?  
11:15_

_I can tell you I'm not pissed  
11:17_

_And?  
11:18_

_The rest is a secret_  
Sorry not sorry  
11:19

_Fine.  
11:20_

_Don't be like that_  
I'll be back in an hour and I'll make it up to you  
11:21

She huffed. Damn him for being reasonable.

They may have spoken every day since she left, but his schedule wasn't always solid. It probably wasn't even his fault that he had to leave her.

Sighing, she replied with a less testy:

_Fine  
11:23_

And just because he couldn't miss an opportunity to annoy her, he sent her a kissy-face emoji, making her snort as she collapsed back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling and wondering what to do now.

She still had to unpack the little she took back with her: new dresses her nii-sama had made for her as gifts, along with another Chappy to add to her collection; a selection of mangas Renji managed to procure from her Must-Read list, a bag of sweets from her Captain, and two and a half bottles of Soul Society's best sake, because Rangiku.

Rukia wondered if she should do some grocery shopping.

Though, her roommate may have gone already, her body wash had finished while she was at Soul Society anyway, and she had to use Ichigo's last night.

Last night, she recalled with a furrowed brow.

Her memories were hazy – tinged in sleep and the contented euphoria that came with being  _homehomehome_.

From the taste of the tea that wasn't as nice as the one she had at breakfast with her nii-sama but liked all the same; the familiar feel of the pillow beneath her head and the way the bed seemed to curve with the shape and size of her body, the scent of the sheets and then of Ichigo embracing her was basically the perfect sedative.

That he had to go and ruin it by realizing she was there and doing what he did best – freaking out – dampened it, but she begrudgingly missed that too, so she supposed it wasn't entirely awful.

It was still strange though, that she missed him still.

She was home, and he was far closer than he was before.

But selfishly, Rukia still wanted Ichigo here – next to her – for no other reason than that she wasn't conscious enough to remember what he looked like after almost three months apart.

His hair would be a little longer, her brain supplied absentmindedly; he hadn't gone to cut it despite his complaints of it irritating him. And his voice was the same, slightly gruffer because he was tired and trying not to make too much noise when he was hissing at her in accusations of,  _"Why didn't you tell me you were back sooner?"_ , but not all that different from the phone calls they usually had.

As for hugs – they never did them except on the occasion when they were sleeping and just happened to converge on the same spot by accident, but that –  _that was nice_.

Shaking her head with a sigh, Rukia caught sight of the flowers he had left behind for her: soft and pink and arguably, fluffy, like the tutu of a ballerina, the Tsubakis swayed with the breeze from the window he had opened before he left.

Internally, she huffed.

Ichigo had a lot of time to do stuff except to stay behind.

"He had a lot on his mind last night, Kuchiki-san," Uryuu informed when she tried to pry an answer out of him.

"Is he stressed about something?" she continued to prod. "Because he didn't say anything last I spoke with him." Not that he would have, the fool still had a habit of keeping his troubles to himself, and if she even got a whiff that something was wrong, she was going to beat it out of him.

Uryuu, however, kept an impressive poker face, but Rukia could catch the reminiscences of a smile ghosting over his lips before he repeated, "Kurosaki is fine."

"He's acting weird," she decided regardless. "Where did he even get Tsubakis anyway?" Just then there was the slightest widening of his eyes, and she set her hands on her hips. "Ishida, you know something!"

"No, I – I'm just as surprised as you are."

"Then what's that face?"

"It's just my face."

"No, your face doesn't do  _that_ ," she pointed out, mimicking his previous expression which whether it irritated him or not, Rukia couldn't say because he adjusted his glasses just then; a clever enough tactic, in hindsight.

"It's only that – Kuchiki-san, do you know anything about hanakotoba?"

"The language of flowers?" What does that have to do with – With a furrowed brow, and a quick mental search in her mind because nii-sama loved tending to his garden, especially the one he and Hisana had started together when they first got married, and he taught her some, but – "Humility and discretion?"

He concurred with the slightest nod, and Rukia looked thoughtful once more. "Is he trying to say something about him or me?"

"You'll have to ask him when he gets back," Uryuu allowed, turning to grab his bag. "I have a session at the university until late; let me know if something comes up."

"Eh? Like what?"

He sweatdropped and turned abruptly for the door. Adjusting his glasses again, he said, "Bye, Kuchiki-san" by way of explanation.

Frowning as she was left to the silence of the apartment, she decided with a huff, "Boys are weird."

Rukia did end up going to the grocery store down the street from the apartment complex about twenty minutes later, a shower helping to put her back into focus on what needed to be done – and helping to put aside the genuine weirdness going on despite how impatient she was to know what was happening.

She was in the middle of hauling her load because  _these boys were eating crap; there was literally no food in the house_ and had just managed to get into the elevator when a familiar voice called out to, "hold the door".

Face to face with Inoue who was too surprised to hide her expression – Rukia could see how frozen it had become: her smile, her wide eyes, even the healthy pallor of her cheeks had gone white at the sight of her; like she'd seen a ghost. "Kuchiki-san, I didn't realize you were back!" she valiantly managed to say as she gingerly stepped in beside her.

"I only just returned last night," Rukia replied, and not fond of the awkward silence she could already feel pressing against her neck, she offered, "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm great; I'm actually here to see Kurosaki-kun!"

Suppressing the urge to raise a brow, Rukia's expression stayed neutral, "Oh, well, he isn't home right now."

Face falling, Inoue mumbled, "A-ano, I sent him a message last night…to remind him that I was; he probably forgot…"

"He was at the hospital last night, he came home really late this morning," she apologized, easily swallowing the urge to add,  _"I know because it woke me up from where I was sleeping on his bed"_ , all the while ignoring the voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like Rangiku chanting, " _Cut her, cut her where it hurts!"_

"Ah…well, if it's all the same, would you mind if I wait with you inside?"

" _Wait with her?"_  Rukia could practically hear Rangiku rage, " _She lives there with him!"_

"Sure," she said instead, hauling her load of groceries as the elevator reached its floor and forging ahead.

There was nothing for it in any case, being rude wouldn't change Inoue's stance or actions, and Rukia very much liked to pretend she still had a friend in the other girl – however conditional it was. Shrugging off the irritation she felt prickling at her skin and suppressing the outward bristle, she stuck her key in the door and let them in.

"Oi, Rukia, is that you?"

"Yeah, I got groceries," she called back as she stepped into the kitchen, mechanically putting aside the items in the cupboard and fridge respectively; trying hard not to look at Inoue when Ichigo's voice grew louder – indicating he was leaving their room.

Curiously, she was met with silence, and glancing over her shoulder, she found Inoue staring at him.

He looked the same, three months as it turned out, didn't change a whole lot, but it didn't stop that stupid flutter in her chest when she realized between she and Inoue, he was only looking at her.

"You…cut your hair," he noted, swallowing noticeably.

Subconsciously, she tugged at the end of the strands, as if to pull them back into place, though with a quick glance at him, Rukia said instead, "And you're not wearing a shirt."

He cleared his throat, and turned back towards their room, replying, "Thought you were alone."

Finding that she had nothing to say for that weird response, she only huffed out a breath, and glanced at Inoue, who didn't seem to be breathing.

Yeah, Rukia thought begrudgingly, I can't blame you for that.


	13. Chapter 13

_Are you going to come out, or are you going to leave me out here with Inoue?  
13:22_

_I'm thinking about it  
13:22_

_Don't do me like this  
13:23_

_I'm sorry, I wasn't the one that decided to walk out shirtless  
13:24_

_And I told you, I thought you were alone  
13:25_

_What does that have to do with anything?  
13:26_

_You don't care when I'm shirtless  
13:27_

" _Care" isn't the word I would use  
13:28_

_What word would you use?  
13:29_

_Not outwardly affected  
13:32_

_So inwardly affected?  
13:33_

_It's not my fault_  
We could grate cheese on your abs  
What doctor needs to be that ripped?  
13:36

He snickered, unaware that a smile was pulling wide at his lips. Diagonally from where he was sitting on the sofa, he vaguely noticed that Inoue leaned forward slightly. When he looked away from the chat open on his phone, he caught the tentative smile on her face. "E-erm, Kurosaki-kun, why are you smiling like that?"

Shaking his head only slightly he repeated, "Nothing" like he had been doing for the past ten minutes when he sent Rukia to their room to change:

" _What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" the shinigami demanded, crossing her arms indignantly._

" _Nothing, just do it."_

_She was wearing his shirt, loosely tucked into a pair of jeans, and on any other day he could have lived with it (and that had nothing to do with the fact that at the back the shirt said **KUROSAKI** ), but she liked to get dressed up, and he wouldn’t deprive her of the opportunity._

_Of course, at this stage, thanks to Inoue, he wasn’t exactly matching. Currently, he was wearing chinos and a basketball shirt (also with **KUROSAKI**  on it) because Ishida wanted to "fix" his only formal shirt and left it in the dining room/workshop. Ichigo wasn't about to walk out shirtless again to deal with Inoue's staring. That she might follow him into the dining room or "accidentally" end up there in the middle of him changing also came to mind._

_Still, once Rukia was done in there – they could swap so she would keep an eye on Inoue while he changed which was why he went and got his shirt from Ishida's work table and placed it in Rukia's hands._

_When Rukia only continued to glare at him suspiciously, he pretended to pout. "Come on, humour me. I'm trying to make up for leaving you this morning."_

" _What am I changing into exactly?"_

" _I already put clothes out on the bed, come on – we're going to be late if you keep asking questions," Ichigo insisted, taking her by the hand – hand – not the platonic wrist – and tugging her towards their room. She was still sceptical but didn't pull away, and only when she was standing in the doorframe of their room did she tilt her head at him and raise her brows._

" _What are you up to?"_

" _I'm making it up to you," he repeated, offering a smile – not a smirk – and saying, "Trust me."_

After that, she had no choice.

But as always, Rukia loved to torture him, and ten minutes later he was still sitting outside with Inoue. Speaking of:

"Why exactly are you here, anyway?" he asked her, and the buxom young woman reddened before letting out a giggle and scratching her cheek with her index finger. "I – uhm – need to borrow that report you did last week with Sado-kun." When he raised a brow disbelievingly, she eagerly added, "I even waited for you to go online this morning after your hospital shift to send you a message to let you know I was coming."

She began to fiddle. "I mean, you're always on your phone so I just thought -"

"Alright, let me go get it." And while he was at it, he'd drag the midget out. If he opened that door and found her chilling in bed, he'd carry her out – damn whatever clothes she was wearing.

Strangely, Inoue jumped up to follow him, and was standing far too close to his back when he opened the door to his and Rukia's room.

"Knock, much?"

The two of them probably looked pretty comical; a tangerine mess of hanging jaws and wide eyes. Ichigo didn't even care that he was staring because  _Thank god for Yuzu_

Apparently caught in the middle of admiring herself in the full-length mirror, Rukia turned to them with an elegantly raised brow.

"You-you look like sunshine," Inoue spluttered behind him, and Ichigo couldn't even disagree because –  _wow_.

She hadn't put the coat Ishida had made for her on yet, so he worried for a second about how flimsy the bright yellow material was, and how cold she'd probably be. But he also didn't care because standing as she was now, he could see the neat little bow that kept the dress on and if he said he didn't want to pull at it with his teeth, he'd be lying.

"So, you have fashion sense now," Rukia said in the silence that stretched just a second too long, brow still raised but amusement in her voice.

"Yuzu, and Ishida," he finally found the words.

"Figures," she declared with a smirk. "Did you pick the shoes too? Because I think I might actually be your height now."

His body, fortunately, was able to move without having to process much and as he came behind her to grab the report Inoue had come for, he stopped to sling an arm over her one shoulder and loop it around to the other from the front and pressed his lips behind her head. "I like that you're shorter than me."

"Good, because I don't think I'll ever actually get this tall naturally." And yeah, that was still banter, but also, he wasn't imaging the blush on her cheeks.

"I'll live with it." Reluctantly, he pulled away, taking the report and turning slightly on his heel to extend the offering to Inoue without having to leave Rukia's space. "Here."

With a deep breath and a shaky hand, Inoue approached to take it, gasping quietly as her skin touched his in the bare two seconds it took to take the report from him. Bright red now, but smiling softly, Inoue added, "A-ano, Kurosaki-kun, I was actually wondering if you wanted to go for coffee? That's erm, that's also what I asked you this morning."

"In the text, I didn't read?" He felt the prod of Rukia's elbow in his stomach far more than Inoue's hopeful expression falling at her feet. Ichigo really did have to nip this in the bud. "I'm going out with Rukia."

"Oh! Then maybe I can come with too," she said, recovering her enthusiasm at an almost frightening degree, her gaze turning pitiful towards Rukia this time.

_Un-fucking-believable._

"Just me and Rukia," he had to say with grit teeth, slinging his arm around her again, though this time she was flush against his side – and when she turned her head to look at Inoue, her temple grazed his jaw.

"Maybe another time," Rukia placated with a slight smile of apology.

"A-ano.."

"I actually need to change my shirt," he interjected, hip checking Rukia. "Give me a few minutes."

She rolled her eyes. "You had ten."

"And you had the room, scram – I'll be out in a few." He wasn't going to ask her to make a new plan with Inoue some other time as a cover, he didn't want to do that to her so instead he walked her out of their room, with Inoue thankfully following in a daze.

He had his shirt off a second after the door closed and shrugged his only formal shirt on, pausing for a second to do up the buttons when the door opened again.

"Oi," he protested.

"Is there a jacket with this or do you expect me to freeze?" Rukia asked instead, leaning against the door she closed, arms crossed, and brow raised once more.

"Of course not, Ishida made you one to go with the dress."

"Convenient."

"He's good for something," Ichigo agreed getting his companion to roll her eyes good-naturedly.

"So, what's the deal?

"The deal?"

"The deal," she repeated, seeing through his  _I don't know what you mean_  act. "You've never been this insistent that Inoue doesn't come with us."

"That was before I realized what it was she was doing, and before I found out that she didn't actually like you." Which wasn't a lie, even without his little heart-to-heart with Ishida this morning, he still wouldn't have been happy about Inoue popping by and trying to invite herself to his date with Rukia.

He paused. Did he have to ask her to go on a date; did it still count if he kind of maybe tricked her into it?

"I suppose…"

With his shirt finally done up, he fixed the collar before opening the closet.

Grabbing Ishida's latest creation (which he made for Rukia a week ago, and Ichigo just happened to be taking advantage of), he lifted it to her in offering; beckoning her closer.

"It's beautiful," she murmured, everything about her going soft – her eyes, her voice, her small smile.

Damn it, Ishida was killing this.

"And it matches," he added irrelevantly, the material felt smooth as silk and the yellow matched her dress perfectly, when she finally had the coat on comfortably, she turned to face him with a grin, and he had the stupidest fucking thought that he could probably live off that smile for the rest of his existence.

"Well come on, you said we were going to be late," Rukia reminded, a suddenly mischievous look in her eyes. "Let's see what you've got, Kurosaki."


	14. Chapter 14

"Will there be food?"

"Yes."

It was the third time she was asking since they left the apartment.

Inoue was long gone by the time they came out of their room, and though Rukia fretted that the woman would be upset, her orange-haired human seemed to have dismissed her entirely.

"Will I like it?"

"I hope so." And Rukia lifted her head to get a better look at him because, despite her earlier sentiment that three months hadn't changed much, Ichigo seemed  _different_. His little "I hope so" was a lot quieter; almost shy and almost hopeful, and Rukia couldn't help but think he was hiding something from her.

"Will you tell me where it is?"

He snickered then, and that sound she was familiar with, even as he declared cheerfully, "No."

"Oh, come on," Rukia whined, bumping her swinging arm against his. "You've gotta."

"I don't  _gotta_  do anything," he pointed out with a laugh, though when he looked down at her, she upped the ante on her puppy-dog eyes, and he had to look away with a 'tsk'. "Don't be a pain; I'm trying to surprise you."

"But I don't like surprises."

"You _love_ surprises,” he corrected.

"Yes, but – Ichigo, come on, just give me a clue!"

"You'll see when we get there."

"But  _when_ do we get there?"

"Now."

Coming to a stop at a nondescript building, she looked around them thoughtfully and finding everyone else walking past it as if it were any other, Rukia turned to him with a raised brow. "Be honest, are you luring me away to kill me in some warehouse?"

Again, he snorted. "It would be a waste considering I made you change."

"Actually, I'd say it was thoughtful of you," she remarked. "At least my corpse will be well dressed."

And if she had to say so herself – dying in this outfit would be the most comfortable death she could imagine. Uryuu really had outdone himself with the coat, and her shoes, despite putting her at a comfortable height to Ichigo, weren't killing her feet like she thought they would.

Despite how Inoue had said it with just a bit of jealousy back at the apartment, Rukia couldn't help but think she really did look like sunshine.

Though she supposed it helped with the way Ichigo would look at her sometimes, as if she were, and if she enjoyed it, she couldn't really be blamed, could she?

Following Ichigo inside, the smell hit her first and she almost died.

"Is that…"

"Welcome to Shima," he said, guiding her with a hand on the small of her back to the counter where one chef was apparently showing something to the others.

"But-but it's already two o'clock, isn't it closed?" Rukia asked, baffled.

"It is," he said, sitting down adjacent to her, "they did me a solid. Though, don't expect their usual service. They told me they're planning on training some new chefs in this time, but we'll still get the food."

After a full course of crab with the star of the show – the wagyu beef that melted on her tongue on contact. Rukia was still convinced, "You are trying to kill me aren't you – just fattening me up so I'll be too lazy to fight you off."

"I sleep beside you, you could probably fight me off in a hospital bed," though he said it as gruffly as he always did, Rukia easily caught his knowing tone all the same. It never ceased to amaze her that however strong he was, he never forgot that she was too.

Then again, he always had a healthy respect for anyone that could kick his ass, size notwithstanding.

"Why Ichigo, is that the kind of thing that does it for you?" she teased.

"You're full of shit."

"But you still missed me, so if I'm full of shit so are you."

He snorted and didn't disagree with her, only launched into a monologue about how Uryuu was a better roommate than her, with her interjecting to remind him that he had to say that: "I'm not only dressed decently enough to be out with you in public," she declared, "but I also look like sunshine."

"You always look like sunshine."

"That sounds like a compliment."

"Don't point it out; I only give them to you once in forever."

"But I always say such nice things about you," she lamented.

"You told me I wasn't ugly once," he reminded and apparently he was still peeved about that, though it didn't stop her from agreeing, "Because you're not unless being told you are is what does it for you."

"Why do you keep saying that, huh? You're making me sound like something's wrong with me," Ichigo complained when some of the chefs behind the counter started to snicker.

"Have you seen Inoue," she couldn't help but say, "Come on – she's like every guy's type!"

"Now see," he pointed at her with his chopsticks. "What does that mean?"

"What?" Rukia asked in her usual  _you can't be serious_  way, before adding,  _"_ You can't be that dense. Inoue's kind and friendly and loyal, and smart."

"So is a dog, and you aren't trying to get me one of those."

"First of all, you're rude as hell. Second of all,  _I_  kind of want one," she said, and predictably, he rolled his eyes. "You have the attention span of a chicken nugget."

Huffing, she defended, "I do not, and for your information: I'm just saying, you and Inoue together wouldn't be so bad, right?"

"It is when I'm in love with someone else."

Her jaw clicked back into place.  _Oh._ She cleared her throat and looked down at her plate, poking at the vegetables she hadn't touched. "Well, that would be a good reason then…"

"Thank you," he declared as if he hadn't just shot ice straight into her veins. "And really, out of everyone you could have picked, Inoue? It's been almost ten years that I've known her, you'd think something would have happened by now," he continued to complain.

"To be fair, you're really dense."

"But I've also known she's liked me this entire time and I haven't done anything about it."

"But she's still waiting for you," Rukia reminded unable to shake off the fact that Inoue would probably always be waiting until whoever Ichigo loved messed up or did him wrong – she'd be there – ready and willing to love him as much as he deserved, perhaps more.

"I never asked her to," he was quick to point out. "I don't even want her to anyway. I've heard people say that she loves me, but there are parts of me she'll never be okay with."

Right… _that_.

"Is that why?"

"Not the only reason," he said, flashing her that smile again because he had no respect for her heart. "I am in love with someone else." Yup, no respect whatsoever.

"Right," she murmured.

"Anyway, we should probably get going – day's not over yet."

"There's more?" she asked with widened eyes, and he chucked a serviette at her. "Stop acting so surprised, I'm not that bad at this."

"But I am," Rukia protested, "this is already more than I expected."

"And what were you expecting," he countered, his turn to raise his brows.

Sniffing at his tone, she turned her nose up and declared, "I would have been satisfied with a new Chappy doll."

"Of course, you would've."

She stuck her tongue out, even as he laughed. The bill was paid for a few minutes later and he ushered her out with as little fanfare as when they first came in.

"And what do you mean," Rukia asked as they re-joined the flow of people out on the sidewalk, heading to who knows where. "About not being bad at this?"

He paused, glanced at her from the corner of his eye and decided, "At dates. I'm not that bad at them."

It felt like she was staring at him forever as she felt his hand in hers tugging her to their next destination. "Come on, we're burning daylight over here." Already getting into a cab, Rukia almost mechanically got in with him, her side pressed against his as he gave their destination to the driver.

When her brain finally caught up with her body, roughly fifteen minutes later, she tugged him back into the taxi and glared up at him from where he was – standing on the sidewalk and waiting for her to join him. "Hey!"

"What?" he had the gall to be surprised, his eyes wide and everything, though clearly, he'd done something wrong with the way his hand raised immediately to rub his neck.

"You – did you just – what?"

"What, what?" he repeated.

"Uh uh, don't do that! Ichigo, what the hell?"

Tugging her out, he still had the nerve to smile at her a little breathlessly before saying, "I'll tell you, just give me a second."

With a frown, she followed suit as they walked – "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

She busied herself looking at the signs that read Tokyo Mid-town and tried to ignore the way her heart was suddenly beating in her ears because  _this idiot is going to give me a heart attack._

"Ichigo -"

"There, we're here."

"Where is…here…Oh," she murmured lamely, the "Starlight Garden" signs already lit up in the dying light of the afternoon. "Ichigo…"

And there was that stupid smile again, and Rukia had to say something – had to ask before she got her hopes up for nothing, "What's going on?"

"I got you flowers."

"Yes, this morning, I know." How could she forget? As she was changing into the clothes he had picked out for her, she kept looking over at the vase and wondering what it meant – how to ask him– if all this weirdness had something to do with it?

"Humility and discretion," he said aloud.

"Yes, I got that," she added, before quietly admitting, "I-I still don't understand…"

"I got it for you because," there was something tugging at his mouth as if he wanted to laugh, and she wanted to wrap her arms around herself but he was still holding her hand and – "Because you're so humble you put yourself down all the time; why would I even want anyone else when you stopped the rain and changed my life?"

It was official, Kurosaki Ichigo was murdering her. Was she even still breathing? "Ichigo -"

"And I'm not saying this because you saved me, or because you feel like this is me paying off that debt so let me shoot that down before that argument comes up."

Her lips immediately smacked together in silence and declaration of love or not, Ichigo hadn't met a moment he couldn't ruin, "And I know I love you because you irritate the hell out of me almost every minute of every day and I don't want that with anyone else."

"Charming," she retorted, though from all the shouji mangas she read, Rukia knew that wasn't exactly the response she should be giving but, regardless, Ichigo seemed to understand when his smirk started to look more like a smile.

"I try." He cleared his throat, looking a little sombre now. "Also, the discretion part, that's up to you."

"Up to me?"

"How you want to take it – the stuff that I just said." Suddenly, he looked away. "If you don't feel the same, nothing will change – I won't make it weird."

"That's not what discretion means, fool."

"Oi!"

"It means you're giving me a choice." Which was surprising on its own, this was the same man that told her at one point that all her opinions were rejected. Granted, he was saving her from her execution, which she kind of wanted to go through with it and stab him at the same time so Rukia supposed he was sort of justified.

"Isn't that what I said," he retorted.

"Not with the way you phrased it," she said, crossing her arms. "You just told me that I've got poor self-esteem and that I can choose what to do with it. Oh! And that I annoy you  _all the time_."

"That's not – urgh, Ishida was wrong, I suck at this."

"The sentiment's there," she soothed, feeling herself smiling, though he still wasn't looking at her to see it. "How long did this take for you to come up with?"

"A few hours," he allowed. "I knew a long time ago, I just – decided not to do anything about it until this morning."

"This morning?" She blinked, trying to focus on that and not the fact that  _he knew a long time ago_. "What changed this morning?"

He was still looking away from her as he admitted, "You came home."

Her smile faded. "I was always going to…I-I didn't mean to be gone so long." Was this it then, not gratitude but guilt?

"No, no it wasn't that. I know you have to go back sometimes because it's not just me who needs you, but I don't want to be wondering one day when the elders finally weigh you down about getting married or whatever, or if some dumbass in Soul Society thinks of asking you, that you'll say yes because – What are we anyway, just friends that live together?"

" _Best_  friends that live together," she corrected.

He rolled his eyes. "You get what I mean."

"What'll change?"

"Change?"

She shrugged. "I mean, you wouldn't have told me if you didn't want something to change."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess, that you wouldn't say yes to them because you'd already have said yes to me."

"We can do that," she decided after a tense moment of silence because who was she if she didn't torture him a little?

And that finally got his attention back to her because there were those eyes: golden and warm and  _relieved_ intent on hers. He was an idiot if he thought she would give any other answer but that. Unbidden, her smile was making her cheeks hurt as it was her turn to look away, laughing a little. "What do you think I was trying to do on the couch?"

He reddened. "I -"

"To be fair, it didn't occur to me to ask Uryuu for advice, and I should have known Rangiku's would be faulty, but…"

"We're idiots," he decided.

"That sounds about right," she echoed, looking back at him with the same smile that was pulling at his too.

"Oh, right – that reminds me." Before she could even look at him curiously, he stepped closer, his hand coming to cup the back of her neck, his breath against hers.

"Ichigo?"

"I'm giving you time to stop me, so you won't punch me later."

"Not stopping you," she verified, all too conscious of his stare on her lips making her bit them anxiously because  _why aren't you moving?_

As the lights went on for the Starlight Garden, her eyes closed and there it was: his lips on hers.

 


	15. Chapter 15

Once they started, it was hard to stop.

Though, whose fault it was, Ichigo would personally lay on Rukia's shoulders – and her skin and her lips and her voice and –

After spending most of the evening watching the light show in Tokyo Mid-town, seeing her naked awe and excitement written all over her as she tugged him here and there to get a better view, Ichigo didn't think the rest of their date could get better. That he had even agreed to a few selfies with her where he wasn't purposely ruining her pictures by making a dumb face or interrupting her with a kiss on the cheek, was a testament to how their date ended.

Except it wasn’t over yet:

"You're not going to kiss me goodnight?" she teased as they stepped inside the apartment a few hours later, and then  _oh then_  – he was more than wrecked.

He chuckled, tilted her chin up with his fingers and pressed his lips against hers.

The rush of adrenaline better at waking him up than the coffee they had stopped for.

Rukia raised herself on her toes; one hand wrapped over his shoulder, and slowly creeping around his neck to toy with his hair; the other tugging at his waist and then grazing his ribs, pulling them together however innocently.

She exhaled through her nose, and he swore he could taste winter on her lips.

The lingering notes of the peppermint hot chocolate she ordered invaded his mouth as his tongue lazily traced the seam of her lips.

The fingers he had used to lift her chin slid around to cup her neck before tracing the column of her throat, and finally coming to rest on her collarbone. With the top button of her coat undone, the warmth below permeated enticingly into his skin, the smell of the perfume she put on still clinging strongly to the fabric beneath that he almost smiled. Like lemon and vanilla and –  _sunshine_.

His other arm wound down her back, tracing over her spine before pressing against the curve of her ass purposely. Rukia had already teased an hour earlier that he was such a gentleman, she was sure it would take forever for him to even cop a feel, and he wasn't him if he didn't at least try and prove her wrong.

He didn’t even get the chance to celebrate when she moaned right into his mouth and the sound went straight to his dick.

He had her pressed against the door, lifted with both hands until she realized what happened, and wound her hips around his obligingly; and there was that moan again.

Ichigo didn't remember when he stopped kissing her mouth and moved on to her neck, only that she was whimpering and rolling her hips in time with his –

And her coat was pooled around his feet –

And his hand touching and tracing her chest and –

He ripped his mouth away from her, breathing heavily as she tightened her hold on his shoulders and pressed her face against his neck because – when did his hand get under her dress?

"Sorry," he stuttered, shakily putting some distance between them.

As she slid back against the door and stood against it on her own two feet, her hands had traced a path down the front of his body, pulling away just above the belt of his pants. The pressure of her palms was firm enough to make it clear it wasn't an accident, and it confirmed his suspicion that Rukia did just live to torture him.

The violet in her eyes was just a ring around the black of her pupil, and breathlessly – bashfully, she offered a smile and looked away, teasing still, "You never do anything in halves, do you?"

"Nah." He took another step away from her. "But I should have gone slower."

Rukia didn't disagree, but did take a step forward, stood on her toes and pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth. "I'm going to the room."

Raising his brows, he asked, "Is that an invitation?"

With a snort, she didn't reply, only grabbed her coat off the floor and walk past him.

Instead of following, Ichigo turned for the bathroom to take care of a not-so-little problem downstairs. With a towel already on the rail, he shed his clothes and took a much-needed cold shower.

Twenty minutes later found them on the couch with her wearing his shirt, her legs thrown over his lap and them arguing over what show to watch like it was any other day of the week.

And it occurred to him when Rukia had asked what would change with their feelings all out in the open, he wanted to say nothing – nothing less than what they already had together.

But when she conceded that, "Yeah, okay, you're not bad at dates or kissing" and let him pick the show, pressing another kiss on his cheek before reaching over and pulling his arm across her shoulders, Ichigo decided that this was better.

After their first date, there had been a few others, nothing major or as planned out as their first as he worried that he'd have to do for every single one.

In fact, Rukia, despite her Kuchiki Princess status, was pretty low maintenance.

He came home with McDonalds once while she was holed up their room catching up on university assignments and she practically cried.

What followed next was an ill-advised picnic on their bed, and Ishida popping in to tell them he had to stay and work in the dining room tonight, so, "keep the bed rocking and noises to a minimum."

That they weren't on that part of their relationship  _yet_ , just made Ichigo's spluttering more embarrassing.

Though, that wasn't the actual problem.

The problem was that Rukia didn't seem very keen to let anyone know.

Besides Ishida and Yuzu (and probably Karin), she hadn't told anyone – and when Chad and Inoue came over to hang out, Rukia had kept her distance from him, annoying Ishida instead and hanging back in the kitchen or 'fetching something' in their room.

Now that they were gone, and in the safety of their bed. He was about to ask what her deal was when she spoke first, "Does she know yet?"

"I don't think so. Not with you acting like I have cooties or something," he retorted.

"I just don't want to rub it in Inoue's face," and yeah, his girl was officially the most selfless person he knew. "You're going to hurt her feelings," Rukia warned quietly, and he tightened his grip on her waist.

"She hurts yours, seems fair."

"Ichigo -"

"Does Byakuya know?" he countered, and he was surprised when she replied, "Of course."

Prompting, "And?"

Her pale shoulders raised and lifted carelessly. "And nothing, he didn't say anything."

"What you're saying is that he left your text on read?"

"Of course not," Rukia retorted, frowning in the dark. "He's not rude; he just didn't have anything to say more than acknowledging it."

"So, he 'K'-ed you, got it."

Jabbing him in the rib in retaliation, she immediately regretted it and squirmed when his fingers found purchase against her side, wiggling in warning even as she pressed the heel of her foot against his thigh. "What does it matter that nii-sama knows?"

"What does it matter that Inoue knows?" he challenged back.

"Well, she does have feelings for you."

"She does, but she isn't entitled to mine. You and I, we're none of her business. There's no need to go announcing it to anybody."

"Then why do you want to?"

"Because you're mine, and I want to make sure that anyone's ass that I have to kick actually deserves it."

"Possessive."

"Hichigo," he said by way of explanation.

"You're trying to make me attracted to your hollow?"

He growled against Hichigo's triumphed "whoop" noise in the back of his mind. "I don't want to tell Inoue as some sort of reason why I'm not interested in her – I never was, and how could I be anyway when I've got you?"

Squeezing his hand around her waist, Rukia peered over her shoulder at him, smiling fondly. "I love you."

Any impatience that had risen up quickly crashed like a wave over him, and he bumped his nose against hers. "Love you too."

Snuggling back against him, beneath his chin, she asked, "Are we going to tell your dad?"

"He knows."

Ichigo didn't have to see her face to know she was raising her brows incredulously. "And he hasn't called either of us yelling and screaming that he told us so, or he's finally getting grandchildren or -"

"Fine, fine; he doesn't. But he'll know eventually. We are going back tomorrow for Christmas break."

She hummed, "I suppose so" before she added, "He told me that he invited Nii-sama."

"Byakuya's spending Christmas with us?"

"Scared?"

"Horrified," he corrected, "Can you imagine your up-tight brother in one of Yuzu's ugly Christmas sweaters?"

Her laugh rippled through him, and Ichigo decided  _yup, I could live with this._


	16. Chapter 16

_I can't believe this  
22:45_

_So, you said_  
but it's probably for the best  
nii-sama would not be pleased if he found out about our sleeping arrangements  
22:47

 _Screw him, it's not like it's his house._  
And I know you're probably giving me that disapproving look of yours  
but I can't see it so now it's your problem too  
22:51

 _It's just for tonight_  
Don't be a baby  
22:53

_The whole point of being together is so that people can't make us sleep in separate rooms  
22: 54_

_I thought the point of us being together was that we loved each other  
22:55_

_Yeah, whatever  
22:56_

_I knew that you were more dependent on cuddles than I was  
22:58_

_I'll kiss that stupid smug smile off your face, Kuchiki  
23:02_

_I'm counting on it_  
Goodnight  
23:06

 _Yeah, good night_  
Love you  
23:07

_Yeah, whatever  
23:08_

Snorting to herself, Rukia set her phone on the counter in the kitchen and sipped the tea she still had left with Lieutenant Ise from earlier.

With Captain Kyroaku over to "catch up" with Isshin, the lieutenant needed some semblance of sane company to keep her for the night. Until, of course, the captain decreed that his "Nanao-chan needed to get into the spirit" and managed to coerce Isshin into agreeing to go back to Urahara's for nightcaps.

Rukia should have been in bed herself.

Nii-sama and Renji were arriving in a few hours, and the list of traditions and rituals she had become a part of at the Kurosaki household during the festive season was plentiful.

Yuzu would need the help to make sure everyone was fed, and with Ishida staying over due to his situation with his father, Rukia predicted she would be playing catch-up for a few hours; especially since Ichigo had gone full protective-big-brother and wouldn't let them be alone unsupervised.

She had to ask Tatsuki to play chaperone just that afternoon so Ichigo would give the couple some peace, and Rukia took the time while he was sulking about it to put mistletoe everywhere to piss him off more.

Still, despite her insistence to Ichigo, Rukia wasn't fond of sleeping without him either, and so she lingered on the quiet first floor of the Kurosaki house.

Though, even if she wanted to go to bed – she couldn't.

As far as unexpected guests went, Inoue Orihime was becoming someone Rukia was getting more and more tired of seeing, particularly at the most inopportune times.

"I know I'm keeping you up, I'm sorry. I'm just having a hard time trying to put my words together," Inoue said, fiddling with the handle of her own mug, and despite herself, Rukia softened.

"I understand; is there anything I can do to make it better?"

Her late-night companion perked up a little. "Actually, there might be. I…I want to tell Kurosaki-kun how I feel about him, finally, I think…I think we're ready."

Not seeming to notice that Rukia had frozen up, Inoue shook her head with a slight smile. "I've been working towards it for months, you know…and I know I should probably wait for him to make a move, it's only that – Rukia-chan, I think I've underestimated how shy Kurosaki-kun is!"

She swallowed against his voice in her head pointing out, _"You never notice do you, that she only ever calls you by your first name when she needs you or refers to at all when she wants you to do something. Come on Rukia, don't let her manipulate you like this."_

"I…I see," she found herself saying instead, tasting ash in the tea she took a hasty sip of.

"I know we haven't spent a lot of time together, but you came back," Inoue continued, quiet laugh chasing after the revelation. "He missed you a lot, and I respected that he wanted to be with you since you'll probably be leaving after Christmas again, right?"

That was usually the schedule.

After basking in the glow of the familial togetherness that was the Kurosaki family, Rukia usually found her way back to her nii-sama for Christmas dinner and the New Year until she had to come back for university.

Only-only, Rukia did that because she didn't want her nii-sama to be alone for the holidays, but now –

"Actually," Rukia cleared her throat. "I'm staying for the foreseeable future. My time in Soul Society covered most of the paperwork I needed to catch up on, and nii-sama is joining us here in a few hours so I don't feel the need to go back."

"Oh! But – Rukia-chan, you belong there, don't you? They need you there, don't they?"

The shinigami took some comfort in that – because it sounded like Inoue cared – even if she was only trying to point out how Rukia didn't belong  _here_  as a result.

"I mean." Inoue tilted her head thoughtfully. "Isn't that what you want?"

No, Rukia wanted to say, I don't. Not right now – but her companion continued, successfully managing to sound sympathetic, "Kurosaki-kun is fine without you here, you don't need to worry about him. I'm confident he won't go down that rabbit-hole like when we were younger; he has his powers now, even though there's no need for them. There doesn't even seem  _to be any_  Hollows around anymore. See, your talents are wasted here for that too, Rukia-chan, I'm sure they need someone with your skills in Soul Society."

"Of course," she found herself echoing – shaking off the bias she had developed of Inoue – the sweet girl she had met so many years ago who wanted to be strong for her friends, who didn't want to fight, who only wanted to heal – and reconcile it with who was standing before her  _spitting_   _on her insecurities_.

"And," Inoue continued, small smile. "It's good isn't it? That we don't need you anymore? Kurosaki-kun, he's been through so much, he should get to have a normal life, don't you agree?"

"His future will be Soul Society though, regardless," Rukia found herself murmuring, and Inoue nodded along in agreement before, "Absolutely, but don't you think he deserves to have a proper human life? Everyone does – but Kurosaki-kun, he deserves it more, and I think…I think I can give it to him."

Her lips parted to say – what? That  _you're right, he does,_ and _he won't get that with me. I ruined his chance of a normal life as soon as I appeared in it. Even though – even though I want him to be happy and that I thought selfishly it could have been with me?_

Either oblivious or cruel, Inoue giggled to herself. "I couldn't help but notice his mother and I look so similar, do you think its fate?"

"Fate?" she asked distractedly.

"That we look so alike," Inoue mused, admiring the blown-up picture on the dining room wall. "Everyone knows how much Kurosaki-kun loves her, and I…I just happen to look like her, do you – do you think its fate?"

And Inoue turned her eyes on her then, smiling softly, and Rukia wondered not for the first time when the young woman had mastered the art of stabbing someone right in the chest.

It would suit, wouldn't it?

They weren't alike after all.

Isshin had Masaki; Kaien had Miyako; and Ichigo – Ichigo had –

"Rukia!"

Startled, she turned to the source of the noise, the devil in the flesh coming down the stairs. "We’ve gotta make a plan here," he was saying, eyes pinched closed in irritation as he approached. "You'll give me shit in a few hours for being crankier than usual, but it won't be my fault because I didn't sleep so we need to come up with a solution.”

Usually, she'd banter with him – tell him that it was his problem now – only – Rukia felt like she had her heart stuck in her throat, even as she choked on his name.

He finally deigned to open his eyes, his arms which had been cradling his head fell to his sides almost limply, before, with a furrowed frown, he spluttered, "What –what the hell?"

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue enthused – oblivious; cruel. "We were just talking about you -"

His arms came quickly around Rukia, pressing her against his chest. "Hey, hey," he soothed. "I've got you. What happened, what's going on?"

There was a growing lump in her throat, and she felt so needlessly pathetic.

Usually – usually she'd be able to take this. Hell, Rukia survived so much worse than having everything she ever told herself come out of someone else's mouth. But this was –

Despite his earlier decree – Ichigo was warm from sleep, and the scent she couldn't identify but knew to be uniquely him, sank into practically every pore that she could have recklessly cried from the loss of it.

Loss; she wasn't used to that.

Rukia didn't have many things to lose. Until – until –

Tightening her handful of his shirt, she peered up at him, and seeing those same eyes – his mother's eyes – concerned and confused. She had to face the facts: she couldn't give him what Inoue could.

There were many hazards to being in love, and that included getting your heart ripped out of your chest.


	17. Chapter 17

Hichigo was fucking furious.

Ichigo could feel his Hollow-counterpart slamming around in his head demanding vengeance and retribution and – he couldn't even disagree.

With his arms wrapped around her, he could feel the tell-tale tremors creeping up and down her spine; shaking her bones beneath the weight of his. Tightening his hold and mentally chanting that Rukia needed him – Inoue didn't deserve any of his attention – he bowed his head, apologetic murmurs soothingly uttered like a lullaby pressed against her skin.

It was his own fault.

Damn whatever it was Rukia said about him hurting Inoue's feelings; hers was more important in his mind and always had been. He should have just taken the initiative and cut the legs out from under Inoue like he should have a long time ago.

Hell, he'd even used some of Ishida's pointed statements of "you're a good friend, Inoue" and "you did well, friend" and  _friendfriendfriend_ for the past three months, but it turned out that no matter how smart Inoue was, it turned out that she was also adept at being pointedly ignorant.

Ichigo had no idea what Inoue had even said to upset Rukia, only that whatever it was cut deep enough that beyond the tremors, Rukia had no response, and hadn't spoken in the time it had taken them to leave the kitchen and a clearly bereaved Inoue behind.

The last he didn't care for, even as Hichigo snarled.

Aimlessly, they walked – Ichigo trying to ease the restlessness pulling in his veins – unused adrenaline from a fight that wouldn't come. Before, they went full-circle around the neighbourhood and climbed the roof instead of walking through the front door.

Numbly, Rukia seemed to respond to that, and out in the open air, he caught her big deep breath out.

Sitting behind her, arms wrapped tight around her shoulders and on the knees she drew up around her chest, he rested his chin on her crown.

"Whatever she said," he finally settled on, "she's wrong, about all of it."

"She isn't," Rukia whispered.

Impossibly his arms and legs circled her in tighter as if to pull her right into his chest – protected by his ribcage, kept constant by his heart, defended by his soul and sword, and avenged by the monster rumbling within with decrees to protect the queen.

With a set jaw, Ichigo asked, "What did she tell you?"

She shook her head, hair barely swaying with the action.

Still, Rukia defends her; protects her, and for what? Ichigo wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled. Why did the selfless people always throw themselves down for others who wouldn't do the same?

"Inoue," she finally said, "she can give you what I can't."

Happiness, he wanted to spit – bitter and angry and  _you can't leave me and expect me to go to her, you can't leave me and expect that I'll choose her instead of chasing you down – you don't know me as well as you thought if that's what you expect me to do._

"You deserve a good life." Already, she was pulling away, managing to only get as far as an arms width before his ankles crossed and she was stuck within the circle of his body. Undeterred, she continued, "Without the fighting and the risk of injury or death. You deserve that. I should never have – Ichigo, I'm sorry."

He wanted to scream and rage and –

"You, your family – you've all gone through so much already, and every day that I'm here I just – I'm delaying the inevitable, or maybe-maybe I'm that walking cruel reminder that in the end – no matter what becomes of you in this life, you'll always be a shinigami – you'll only have blood and war and battle to look forward to. And you-you don't deserve that."

"Shut up."

"You shut up," she retorted, and though her words were shaky and raw, she too seemed angry. "You don't get it, do you? Everything you've been through – the sacrifices, the losses, the pain – you're already going to get enough of that when you die. It won't stop! Your human life – it wasn't supposed to be like this! You were supposed to be safe and happy!"

"And you think I'm not?" Ichigo challenged, and when she could only snarl back, he swallowed the caustic follow-up he had because, "I'm not fighting you, that's the last thing I want to do. But you're wrong if you think I'm not safe and happy right now."

She stilled, however, marginally, and he pushed on. "Yeah, we're having this conversation on a roof and I could fall and crack my head open like an egg, but that doesn't change the fact that without you – I protected people long before you came along, but now I actually have the power to keep them safe. That was you; you did that."

"Ichigo – the cost of that…"

"It was worth it. You think I was happy before you jumped through my window when I was fifteen? Or those seventeen months when I couldn't see you, let alone sense you -"

"It was the best I could do for you, Ichigo," she protested, shaking her head and  _still not getting it_. "Hollows and ghosts and shinigami, in this life, they weren't meant to be your problem."

"And how happy was I when they weren't? It was shit, just by the way. If it didn't make Yuzu cry or Karin hate me, I might have actually tried to kill myself just to get it back, just to get  _you_  back."

"Ichigo -"

"If it meant I could fight alongside you, be there next to you, or hell, just know that you're there and I can  _see you_ , I would have done it."

"Don't say such foolish things, Ichigo, please…You have so much more to live for."

"And how does that negate what I could die for?" When she only stared at him with those same large violet eyes that drowned him and saved him on a daily basis, he reminded quietly, "I risk my life for the people I care about, even before you. After you, when I can actually protect them instead of just putting myself in danger? Why wouldn't I do the same? Especially when the girl I love insists on pulling the same shit on me because apparently, we've got similar complexes."

Rukia huffed out a laugh, and he reached over, brushing his knuckles against the apple of her cheek.

She murmured still, "You have your whole afterlife to be a shinigami…"

"If I agreed with you, would you stay with me?"

She looked down. "There's no reason for me to do that."

"You've got every reason to do that."

"Ichigo -"

"You told me you died when you were a baby, that all you ever knew was the afterlife – the Rukongai and then the Gotei 13. You deserve a good life too without the war and battle and blood, you deserve to know what it feels like to get to be human."

When she huffed that little laugh again, her smile tentative at her cheeks, he met her lips in the middle and murmured, "Being a fully-fledged – actual to god – shinigami, it can wait. I agree. I want to graduate, I want to practice; I want to know what it's like to live with my girlfriend and go on dates and celebrate anniversaries and debate about whether or not her family actually  _wants me_ to go in there and massacre them all."

Again, that little laugh, and  _yeah, I could live off that sound forever._

He added, "I want to see Karin and Yuzu graduate high school and maybe university too. Maybe see Tatsuki at the Olympics, and Chad finally pursue music as seriously as he deserves to, and Ishida with his fashion line with all his issues resolved with his dad. And maybe, see my sisters get married; I'll deal with the conflicting emotions about that later, the point is: I do have a lot of human things I still want to do, but that doesn't mean I can't have those things with you."

"Ichigo, I don't belong here…"

"You belong with me, you belong with my family, you belong right here. That's enough, isn't it?"

She swallowed with difficulty, and he worried that  _it wasn't_ , until she was rubbing her eyes furiously and protesting, "Stop it, you're making me cry."

He chuckled, beckoning her closer until she was snuggled up against his chest, right where he liked her.

"We already know there's life after death, and there's probably reincarnation and shit too, and in all those lifetimes, I want them with you." _Here's my soul, weigh it and find me worthy._

"We'll probably have centuries together in Soul Society," she reminded.

"That seems long enough to reach a conclusion about family massacres, how do you think they'll take this?" he mused, and now that he was saying it,  _what did they think of this?_ Rukia shook her head and said, "Nii-sama, he’s…happy for me. He’s already started arrangements about me taking a sabbatical while I'm here in the living world with you, though he hasn't said as much, Renji saw the paperwork and couldn’t keep his mouth shut…"

His lips quirked. "Are you…are you okay with that?"

She shrugged, offering with a small smile, "I've been a shinigami my whole life, and I…I like being here with you, experiencing the life I never got to live. It's not something I ever thought I could get – or even deserved."

"Stop that, you deserve everything – everything I can offer you in this life, and the next, you deserve it."

Pulling at the collar of the ugly Christmas sweater he snagged before going outside, she pressed her lips against his, and any protests she may have had about what she could give him in return were answered just like that:  _This. This is what I want._

"I admit; I'm surprised you did this…"

"Really?" he asked with a raised brow as they approached the front door – having to return and get whatever rest they could before the festivities truly started.

"I thought you were going to burst a blood vessel down there," she said, looking down and away from him again – embarrassed by being caught so vulnerable. Ichigo squeezed her hand in his.

"I was going to," he admitted, "but if I fight for you, I can't embrace you, and you needed that more."

Letting her take the lead, framing the front door decked in holly and silver bells, Rukia turned to him – eyeing him as she finally stood at eye-level thanks to the step. "Who are you and what've you done to my knuckleheaded fool?"

He opened his mouth to reply, smirk in place when the door opened, and Inoue declared, "Kurosaki-kun, I was so worried, it's freezing outside, you should come in!"

Resisting the urge to snap back in reply because  _what are you still doing here?_  He noticed Rukia's stiffening stance, and then suddenly, as if hit with a bright idea, she chirped in agreement, "Yes, Ichigo, we probably should. Oh, look, mistletoe!"

Without waiting for a second to pass, she pulled him in and though he wanted to laugh, she pressed her lips against his. Hichigo was howling in the back of his mind, and he smirked in kind.

Ichigo could practically feel Inoue going completely rigid and then –

"Ah, Rukia-chan, I-I don't think Kurosaki-kun likes that!"

In answer, just as Rukia was about to pull away, he wound his arms around her, swiped his tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth and he grinned at the tightening of her hands beneath his sweater, just above his ass. Taking only a moment, Ichigo detangled himself just enough to give Inoue the finger.

That was a hazard of love he could deal with – giving absolutely zero fucks about who knows it.

Merry fucking Christmas.

 

**Author's Note:**

> You can find the full story [ here ](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12413046/1/Hazards) too


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